1856.] History of the Authorized Version of the Bihle. 517 



tion. Tlien all were to meet and compare notes, and tlirougli this 

 mutual conference the best attainable version was to be made. 



II. When each company had thus finished a book, a transcript of 

 it was to be sent to each of the other five companies, so that every 

 printed passage would thus be considered: 1st. By an individual 

 translator ; 2ndly. By a company numbering from seven to ten ; 

 3dly. By the other five companies separately; and lastly, By a Com- 

 mittee of Revision, in case of any doubt or difficulty. This commit- 

 tee was formed of the chief persons of each company, who were to 

 meet together for the purpose at the end of the work. The work 

 was not absolutely commenced until the year 1607. It is consider- 

 ed that a very likely cause of this delay was the difficulty of obtain- 

 ing funds for the requisite cost of the undertaking. The only means 

 of obtaining them consisted in a contribution, asked by Bancroft, in 

 his Majesty's name, from the bishops, deans and chapters. 



The first company of translators met at Westminster, under the 

 presidency of the well-known Dr. Andrews, at the same time Dean 

 of Westminster, and afterwards Bishop of Chichester and Winches- 

 ter, in which See he died. To this body was assigned the Penta- 

 teuch, and the historical books of Scripture to the Kings inclusive. 

 The second company met at Cambridge, Dr. Livelie, the Regius Pro- 

 fessor, having been appointed to preside. He, however, died before 

 the commencement of the work; and, in consequence of the promi- 

 nent part which, from the beginning of the proposal, was placed in 

 his hands, it is supposed that the delay in its commencement may 

 have partly arisen from his death at the most critical time. The 

 portion assigned to this company consisted of the Chronicles, and 

 succeeding books, to the end of the Song of Solomon. The third 

 and fourth company met at Oxford; the first of these two divisions 

 under the presidency of Dr. Harding, Regius Professor of Hebrew. 

 From Isaiah to Malachi inclusive, was entrusted to them; and the 

 four Gospels, the Acts, and the Book of Revelation, to the latter of 

 these two bodies, which met under Dr. Ravis, then Dean of Christ 

 Church. The fifth company met at Westminster, under Dr. Barlow, 

 who had been just made Bishop of Rochester. The Epistles of the 

 New Testament were their allotted work. And, finally, the sixth 

 company met at Cambridge, with the Apocrypha for their portion. 



The translations were finished in the year 1610. Two delegates 

 were then appointed from Cambridge, Oxford, and Westminster, who 

 met daily at Stationers' Hall for about three quarters of a year; and 



