ANTIQUITIES. 



373 



Unpublished letters respecting Dr. 

 {■f-altons translation of the Bible, 

 transcriledfrom the common place 

 look of Mr. John Difivht, secre- 

 tary to bishop Wallis. 



" To the rigbt Ijononrab'e the 

 counsel of state the humble pe- 

 titioa of Brian Walton, D. D. 



" Humbly sheweth, 



" ' 3 ■* HAT, whereas sundry edi- 

 A tions and translations of the 

 Holy Bible (the divine treasury of 

 saving truth) have been formerly 

 made in divers learned languages, 

 which have highly tended to the 

 honour of God, and advancement 

 of religion, especially those great 

 and famous editions of tlie Com- 

 plutense, the Antwerpe, and the 

 late Paris, Bibles : and whereas, 

 your petitioner having perused the 

 said editions, and compared the 

 same with sundry others, and find- 

 ing that a more compleat and per- 

 fect edition than any of them may 

 be made, which may be more use- 

 full, and withall afforded at a fifth 

 part, or thereabouts, of the price 

 of those of Paris, whereby the same 

 will brcome more common and 

 great encouragement be given to the 

 study •f those tongues which con- 

 duce most to the understanding of 

 the text, haUi, with the advice of 

 sundry learned nien, drawn up a 

 form of an edition in the original 

 languages, with the most ancient 

 translations, according to better and 

 more authentic copies than those of 

 the former editions, with addition 

 of sundry things neediul, v/hich arc 

 wanting in them all ; and hath di- 

 gested the same in such order, 

 whereby the several languages may 

 bs rqjrc^entcd to the reader's vitw 



at once, and the -vt'hole may be 

 printed in a few ordinary volumes, 

 and sold at the price aforesaid ; a 

 draught whereof, with a printed 

 proof, and the suffrage and appro- 

 bation of eminent learned men, is 

 herewith exhibited : your petition- 

 er, therefore, humbly praycth, that 

 your honours will pe pleased to take 

 the premises into your grave and 

 serious consideration, and (as those 

 former editions, though less perfect 

 have been furthered by public au- 

 t!iority)so you would be pleased to 

 give your approbation^ of this work, 

 with such furtherance, by recom- 

 mendation or otherwise, as in your 

 wisdoms shall be thought fit, where 

 by your petitioner, and those that 

 shall join with him herein, may be 

 the better enabled and encouraged 

 to go on in so great a work, so 

 much conducive to the public good 

 and honour of this nation. And 

 your petitioner shall ever pray," 

 &c. &c, . 



[Not delivered.] . 



" To his excellency the lord gene- 

 ral Cromwell, the humble peti- 

 tion of Brian Walton, ot Lon- 

 don, D. D. 



" Humbly sheweth, 



" That, whereas your petitioner, 

 with the advise of divers learned 

 men, hath drawn up a form of art 

 edition of the Bible in the original 

 and other learned languages, which 

 the late counsell of state, by their 

 order of July, have declared to bs 

 an honourable work, and deserving 

 encouragement, wnereupon divers 

 persons have subscribed several suras 

 of money towards the printing 

 tiiereof, as a work much tending to 

 the honour of God and the nation ; 

 your petitioner humbly prayeth, 

 B b 3 that 



