638 Relrospect of Domestic 
“ On the opposite leaf is.a printed pa- 
per pasted, which says, that ‘ on Tues- 
day evening (13th of May 1760) at Mr. 
Langford’s sale of Mr. Ames’s books, a 
copy of the Translation of the New Yes- 
tament by Tindall, aud supposed to be 
the only one remaining which escaped 
the flames, was sold for fourteen guineas 
anda half. This very book was picked 
up by one of the late Lord Oxford’s collec- 
tors (John Murray written in the margin,) 
and was esteemed so valuable.a purchase 
by his lordship, that he settled twenty 
pounds a year for life upon the person who 
procured it. Ilis lordship’s library being 
afterwards purchased by Mr. Osborne of 
Gray’s Inn, he marked it at fitteen shil- 
lings, for which price Mr. Ames bought 
it. This translation was finished in the 
reign of Henry the Eighth, an, 1526, and 
the whole impression, as supposed (this 
copy excepted) was parchased By Ton- 
stall, Bishop of London, and burnt at 
St. Paul's Cross that year.’ 
“ On the ether side of the leaf, in 
MS. is this: 
© N.B. This choice book was purcha- 
sed at Mr. Langford’s sale, 13th May 
1760, by me John White, and on the 
13th day of May, 1776, I sold it to the 
Rey. Dr. Gifford for twenty guineas, 
the price at first paid for it by the late 
Lord Oxford.’ his is sigued John 
White. 
“Dr. Gifford, it is well known, was 
assistant librarian at the British Museum, 
and I believe a Baptist. He left his li- 
brary to the use of the Baptist society at 
Bristol. He is said to have been a lively 
and much admired preacber, of whom it 
might have been said, as it was of one 
of the early reformers, vividus vultus, 
vividi oculi, vivide manus, denique om - 
nia vivida. He died in 1784. This by 
the way. : 
“Then follows a print of the Earl of 
Oxford, formerly the owner of the book, 
who died in 1741. , 
“At the etd of the book is the follow- 
ipg note in MS. by J. Ames. 
¢ This singular English translation of 
the New ‘Testament appears perfect toa 
person understanding printing, although 
it bears no date, which many books about 
- that time wanted also, the subject being 
at that time so danyerous to meddle with. 
Recourse may be had to history $0 know 
the person who, the time when, and the 
place where, it was done. First, the per- 
son is generally sapposed to be William 
Tindal, from many writers, and his own 
-othier writings, as his Pentateuche, orfive 
Literature—Miscellanies. 
Books of Moses, printed 1580, at diffe- 
rent presses—See Fox’s book of his Acts 
and Monuments for the burning of it, 
p- 549, and 990 of his Book of Martyrs ; 
and also in my History of English Print- 
ing, p. 490. And be sure observe the 
last paragraph to the reader in this same 
book. ‘This edition was thought to be 
so effectually destroyed, that till late uo 
ove was found until Harley, Earl of Ox- 
ford, a great lover of scarce books, em- 
ployed one John Murray, a person of 
some taste, who by accident found this, 
The earl was so rejoiced at it, that he 
forthwith settled an annuity on him so 
long as he lived, of twenty pounds a year, 
which was paid him to his deceasé, (which 
was in 1748.) Myself, among others, 
having heard the story of such an edition 
of the New Testament, when I was about 
my “ History of Printing,” I went among 
the most noted libraries, and met with 
this in the Ifarleian lfurary, but never 
saw another, 
‘ The place where printed, is generally 
supposed to be Antwerpe, where persons 
in those days had the press and greater 
liberties than in their own countries. 
When Lord Oxford’s books were sold to 
Thomas Osborne, for thirteen thousand 
pounds, this book, among the rest, welt 
with them to him, and was represented 
by his catalogue-maker, as some Datch 
edition of the New Testament. See his 
Catalogue, vol. i. p. 25. No. 420. annd 
1743. 
‘The manner in whiclr this work is 
done, show it very early, as the illamina- 
ting of the great, or initial letters, early 
used iti the finest of our old manuscripts, 
when they had a set of men, called Iilu- 
minators, for such purposes. Besides, 
the marginal notes being done with the 
pen, which were afterwards printed, 
show it prior to others that weré priited 
with them. The person who did it, shews 
afine free hand, scarce now to be ek 
ceeded. These considerations, put to- 
gether, incline me to subscribe to this, 
being the first printed edition of thé Ex- 
glish New Testament. J. Ames.” 
“Underneath this is written, 
* And what pats it out of all doubt, 
that it is prior to all other editions are his 
own words in the second page of his ade 
dress to the Reder. ; 
‘ A. Gifford, Sept 11, 1776. 
“ The Address to the Reder,” alluded 
to here, and by Mr. Ames, is at the coi- 
clusion of the book. It is to this effect; ~ 
© Them that are learned christenly, I 
beseche for as moche as I amp stire, and 
BLY 
