The New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated Faithfully into English... Rhemes: John Fogny, 1582.. ...

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Scarce Rheims New Testament

The New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated Faithfully into English... Rhemes: John Fogny, 1582.

First edition. Quarto. [28], 745, [27] pages. Woodcut initials and headings scattered throughout.

Full contemporary polished calf with twin rules blind stamped on the front and rear boards. Rebacked spine with gilt decoration and titles in six compartments between five raised bands. Wear to the boards along the edges with a few small areas of soiling. Contents remarkably sound with some light toning to the pages, especially the preliminary pages. The bible comes housed in a beautiful brown half-morocco slipcase. A very good copy of this scarce bible.

The Rheims New Testament was the first Catholic version in English. It was translated from the Vulgate by Gregory Martin of the English College at Douay (which temporarily moved to Rheims), under the supervision of William Allen (afterwards Cardinal Allen), and of Richard Bristow. The purpose of the version, both the text and notes, was to uphold Catholic tradition in the face of the Protestant Reformation which was heavily influencing England. As such it was an impressive effort by English Catholics to support the Counter-Reformation. The translation of the Old Testament followed in 1609-10 and the two are frequently referred to collectively as the Rheims-Douai Bible.