jamesgray2

1. 1589 Rhemes New Testament
2. John Fisher, A treatise on Prayer
3. Serres 1632 The sweete thoughts of death and eternity
4. Gibbons & Ribera 1611 Librum Dvodecim Prophetarvm

781G

The text of the Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated out of the vulgar Latine by the papists of the traiterous seminarie at Rhemes. With arguments of bookes, chapters, and annotations, pretending to discouer the corruptions of diuers translations, and to cleare the controuersies of these dayes. VVhereunto is added the translation out of the original Greeke, commonly vsed in the Church of England, with a confutation of all such arguments, glosses, and annotations, as conteine manifest impietie, of heresie, treason and slander, against the catholike Church of God, and the true teachers thereof, or the translations vsed in the Church of England … By William Fulke, Doctor in Diuinitie

London: by the deputies of Christopher Barker, printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1589                                                                             $18,000

Folio * A-Y 2A-2Y 3A-3Y 4A-4V 4X First Edition

This copy is bound in full older calf, recently expertly rebuked ,a very sound and impressive copy.

The Rheims version and the Bishops’ Bible version in parallel columns, with Fulke’s commentary at the end of each chapter. The Rheims version is translated from the Vulgate chiefly by Gregory Martin; the Bishops’ Bible translation was overseen by Matthew Parker.In England the Protestant William Fulke ironically popularized the Rheims New Testament through his collation of the Rheims text and annotations in parallel columns alongside the 1572 Protestant Bishops’ Bible. Fulke’s work (as here) was first published in 1589; and as a consequence the Rheims text and notes became easily available without fear of criminal sanctions.

Not only did Douay-Rheims influence Catholics, but also it had a substantive influence on the later creation of the King James Bible. The Authorized Version is distinguished from previous English Protestant versions by a greater tendency to employ Latinate vocabulary, and the translators were able to find many such terms (for example: emulation Romans 11:14) in the Rheims New Testament. Consequently, a number of the latinisms of the Douay–Rheims, through their use in the King James Bible, have entered standard literary English. Douay-Rheims would go on through several reprintings on both sides of the continent.

The translators of the Rheims New Testament appended a list of neologisms in their work, including many latinate terms that have since become assimilated into standard English. Examples include:  “acquisition”, “adulterate”, “advent”, “allegory”, “verity”, “calumniate”, “character”, “cooperate”, “prescience”, “resuscitate”, “victim”, and “evangelise”.

While such English may have been generated through independent creation, nevertheless the totality demonstrates a lasting influence on the development of English vocabulary. In addition the editors chose to transliterate rather than translate a number of technical Greek or Hebrew terms, such as “azymes” for unleavened bread, and “pasch” for Passover. Few of these have been assimilated into standard English. One that has is “holocaust” for burnt offering.The First English Catholic New Testament in English,printed in England. “The ‘editio princeps’ of the Roman Catholic version of the New Testament in English. Translated from the Vulgate by Gregory Martin, under the supervision of William Allen and Richard Bristow. According to the “Douai Diaries”, Martin began the translation in October1578 and completed it in March 1582.”The translation adheres very closely to the Latin, though it shows traces of careful comparison with the Greek. But its groundwork was practically supplied by the existing English versions, from which Martin did not hesitate to borrow freely. In particular there are very many striking resemblances between Martin’s renderings and those in Coverdale’s diglot of 1538. Martin’s own style is often disfigured by Latinisms.”This Rheims New Testament exerted a very considerable influence on the King James version of 1611, transmitting to it not only an extensive vocabulary, but also numerous distinctive phrases and turns of expression. (See J.G. Carleton’s exhaustive analysis, The Part of Rheims in the Making of the English Bible. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.)”Since the English Protestants used their vernacular translations not only as the foundation of their own faith but as siege artillery in the assault on Rome, a Catholic translation became more and more necessary in order that the faithful could answer, text for text, against the ‘intolerable ignorance and importunity of the heretics of this time.’ The chief translator was Gregory Martin… Technical words were transliterated rather than translated. Thus many new words came to birth… Not only was [Martin] steeped in the Vulgate, he was, every day, involved in the immortal liturgical Latin of his church. The resulting Latinisms added a majesty to his English prose, and many a dignified or felicitous phrase was silently lifted by the editors of the King James Version and thus passed into the language” (Great Books and Book Collectors, 108).The names, numbers, and chapters of the Douay–Rheims Bible and the Challoner revision follow that of the Vulgate and therefore differ from those of the King James Version and its modern successors, making direct comparison of versions tricky in some places. For instance, the books called Ezra and Nehemiah in the King James Version are called 1 and 2 Esdras in the Douay–Rheims Bible. The books called 1 and 2 Esdras in the KJV are called 3 and 4 Esdras in the Douay, and were classed as apocrypha.

STC (2nd ed.), 2888; Darlow & Moule (Rev. 1968), 202

822G John Fisher, Saint 1469-1535.

A treatise of prayer, and of the fruits and manner of prayer. By the most Reuerend Father in God Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochestre, Preist and most eminent Cardinall of the most holy Catholike Church, of the title of S. Vitalis. Translated into English by R.A.B.

Printed att Paris : by Will: Baudry, M. DC. XXXX [1640]                                       $5,500

Duodecimo 5 1/2  x 3 inches. á8, A-G12, H4 . This is the fourth edition of Fisher’s A godlie treatisse declaryng the benefites, fruites, and great commodities of prayer. This copy has had heavy staining and chipping repaired.It is bound in early full sheep and is very worn.  Written in latin as “Tractatus de orando Deum : et de fructibus precum, modo [ue] orandi, numquam antehac Latiné editus”. ; First published in English in 1560/3 as A Godlie treatisse declaryng the benefites, fruites, and great commodities of prayer and also the true vse therof. Written in Latin, fourtie yeres past, by an Englyshe man, of great vertue [and] learnyng. And lately translated into Englyshe. Only one copy in the U.S. at Williams College, then in, 1577 ,no US copies then 1600 only one copy listed St. Mary’s Seminary, New Oscott (NO U.S. Copies), and Then there is  this edition Estc shows only Folger in the US, Oclc adds Catholic University of America.

Prayer for Holy Bishops by Saint John Fisher :

Lord, according to Thy promise that the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole world, raise up men fit for such work. The Apostles were but soft and yielding clay till they were baked hard by the fire of the Holy Ghost. So, good Lord, do now in like manner with Thy Church militant, change and make the soft and slippery earth into hard stones. Set in the Thy Church strong and mighty pillars that may suffer and endure great labors–watching, poverty, thirst, hunger, cold and heat–which also shall not fear the threatenings of princes, persecution, neither death, but always persuade and think with themselves to suffer with a good will, slanders, shame, and all kinds of torments, for the glory and laud of Thy Holy Name. By this manner, good Lord, the truth of Thy Gospel shall be preached throughout the world. Therefore, merciful Lord, exercise Thy mercy, show it indeed upon Thy Church. Amen

STC (2nd ed.), 10890 showing only Folger add Catholic Univ of America,Allison & Rogers. Catholic books, 305

812G Serre, M. de (Jean-Puget), [1600-1665]  Translator’s dedication signed: H.H., i.e. Henry Hawkins.

The sweete thoughts of death and eternity

(bound with)

Thoughts of Eternity.

Paris [i.e. Saint-Omer : Printed by the English College Press], 1632                          $2,250

Octavo 5 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches π1 ã A-X Y . First and only edition This copy s bound in its original limp vellum binding, soiled and rumpled.

HAWKINS, HENRY (1571?–1646), jesuit, born in London in 1571 or 1575, was second son of Sir Thomas Hawkins, knt., of Nash Court, Kent, by Anne, daughter and heiress of Cyriac Pettit, of Boughton-under-the-Blean, Kent. John Hawkins [q. v.] and Sir Thomas Hawkins [q. v.] were his brothers. After studying classics in the college of the English Jesuits at St. Omer, he entered the English College at Rome, under the assumed name of Brooke, on 19 March 1608–9. He received minor orders in 1613, was ordained priest about the same time, and, after spending two years in the study of scholastic theology, left for Belgium and entered the Society of Jesus about 1615. A manuscript ‘status’ of the English College at Rome for 1613 says that he was the ‘son of a cavalier, lord of a castle, a man of mature age, intelligent in affairs of government, very learned in the English laws, and that he had left a wife, office, and many other commodities and expectations, to become a priest in the seminaries.’ Hawkins on coming to England was captured and imprisoned. In 1618 he was sent into perpetual exile with eleven other Jesuits, but, like most of his companions, soon returned to this country, where he laboured, principally in the London district, for twenty-five years. He is named among the ‘veterani missionarii’ in the list of Jesuits found among the papers seized in 1628 at the residence of the society in Clerkenwell. In his old age he withdrew to the house of the English tertian fathers at Ghent, where he died on 18 Aug. 1646.

STC (2nd ed.), 20492Copies – N.America Folger Shakespeare , Huntington Library ,University of Texas

637G Gibbons, Richard; (1549-1632). Ribera, Francisco de (1537-1591).

R.P. FRANCISCI RIBERAE PRESBYTERI SOCIETATIS IESU ET SACRA THEOLOGIAE DOCTORIS IN LIBRUM DUODECIM PROPHETARUM COMMENTARII SENSUM E ORUNDEM PROPHETA- rum Historicum moralem persape etiam Alle-goricum complectentesHAC OMNIUM POSTREMA EDITIONE AB INFI-nitis mendis Typographicis expurgati e ubique dictionibus He-
braicis e Chaldaicis in Latinium prolationem permutatis elucidati, opera R.P. RICHARDI GIBBONI eiusdem Societatis Theologi. CUM QUATUOR COPIOSIS INDICIBUS PRIMUS EST quastionum cripturae que in hoc opere copiosius disputantur: Alter regu-larum Scripturae: Tertius locorum eiusdem: Quartus rerum, atqua verborum.

DUACI: EX OFFICINA TYPOGRAPHICA BALTAZARIS BELLERI. 1611   $2,800

Folio a-h6, A-Z6, Aa (missigned A2) -Zz6, Aaa-Ccc6,Ddd8 (8 being blank) the first edition with Gibbons.

This copy is bound in full original cartonage.  Gibbons entered Louvain University in 1570 at the age of  21 and took only philosophy, suggesting that he must have studied his humanities in Britan, but there are no University records to match this, he entered the Society of Jesus, on September 1, 1572, and continued his studies for three years. After his ordination, he taught mathematics for thirteen years, philosophy for ten, scholastic theology for three and for some time also Hebrew and Scripture, dividing his time between Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium. For a while he occupied the offices of prefect of studies at Louvain, and of preacher in the Jesuit College at St-Omer. His later years were spent at Douai, in printing ancient manuscripts, and in translating, editing, and annotating various learned works. The following deserve to be noticed: “Historia admiranda de Jesu Christi stigmatibus ab Alphonso Paleato Archiepisc. II. Bononiensi explicata. Accessit tomus II . Historiae admirandae … complectens M. Vigerii S. R. E. Cardinalis de praecipuis Incarnati Verbi mysteriis decachordum Christianum” (Douai, 1616). “R. P. Francisci Riberae … in librum Duodecim Prophetarum commentarii.” (Douai, 1612). “Historia Anglicana Ecclesiastica a primis gentis susceptae fidei incunabulis ad nostra fere tempora deducta auctore Nicolao Harpsfeldio” (Douai, 1622). “Ludovici de Ponte Meditationum de Vita et Passione Christi, Libri II, ex Hispanico in Latinum versi” (Cologne, 1612). “A Spiritual Doctrine, conteining a Rule to Live Wel, with divers Praiers” (Louvain, 1599). “Meditations upon the Mysteries of our Holy Faith, with the Practice of Mental Praier…” (Douai?, 1610). “The First Part of the Meditations of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ our Savior” (1614?). “Translation of Bellarmine’s Christian Doctrine”.Francisco Ribera was a Spanish Jesuit theologian, identified with the Futurist Christian eschatological view. He was born at Villacastín. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1570, and taught at the University of Salamanca. He acted as confessor to Teresa of Avila. He died in 1591 at the age of fifty-four, one year after the publication of his work In Sacrum Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij. He is most renounded for his Apocalypse commentary, In order to remove the papacy of the Catholic Church from consideration as the Antichrist (as an act of countering the Protestant Reformation), Ribera began writing a lengthy (500 page) commentary in 1585 on the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) titled In Sacrum Beati Ioannis Apostoli, & Evangelistiae Apocalypsin Commentarij, proposing that the first few chapters of the Apocalypse apply to ancient pagan Rome, and the rest he limited to a yet future period of 3 literal years, immediately prior to the second coming. During that time, the Roman Catholic Church would have fallen away from the pope into apostasy because of the Reformation cry stating that “the papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist.” (Martin Luther, Aug. 18, 1520). Then, he proposed, the Antichrist, a single individual, would: Persecute and blaspheme the saints of God Rebuild the temple in Jerusalem Abolish the Christian religion Deny Jesus Christ Destroy Rome Be received by the Jews Pretend to be God Kill the two witnesses of God Conquer the world.To accomplish this, Ribera proposed that the 1260 days and 42 months and 3 times of prophecy were not 1260 years as based on the year-day principle (Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6), but a literal 3 years, hence preventing the arrival of the deduction of the 1260 years.

DeBacker Sommervogel vol. VI col.1761