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The Rouen Bible, 1566 Great Bible Version The Great Bible as the translation is uniformly recognized and issued -- is the subject of this bibliographic description. The edition under examination is the Rouen edition. The principal goal in this exercise is to describe fundamental characteristics of the Rouen Bible, seventh edition, published by Hamillon in 1566, as a reprint of Cranmers Bible and at the expense of Richard Carmarden. The description, including the collation formula, follows principles set forth by Bowers, Gaskell, Tanselle and other noted bibliographers. Scant bibliographic research has been performed on this Bible, so its patronage and reasons for issue are unknown. Due to the aura of uncertainty relating to its publication, along with the elaborate illustrations involving 24 miniature woodcuts on three of the five iconographic title pages along with esoteric decorative lettering in, at least, ten languages, this Bible offers excellent instructive ground. It also affords an enterprising bibliographer uncharted descriptive and analytic territory. The following bibliographic description of the Rouen Bible or, as it is sometimes referenced, the Carmarden Great Bible, includes transcriptions of title pages, collation, descriptions of the woodcuts, typeface and paper, watermarks, chainlines, binding, endpapers and copy-specific information. Though technically the internal structural composition would be the focus of the material object, the binding and endpapers offer copy-specific information, distinguishing it from other copies. As such, these features assist in the documentation of its printing and potentially its provenance, transmission,

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distribution and the general history of the book trade during this era. This information is provided at the end, as is customary. The description of paper is based on Tanselles document, A Bibliographic Description of Paper (1971). Tanselle (as does Bowers and Gaskell) views a bibliographic description of paper as standard element in a descriptive bibliography. With a view to the history of describing paper, Tanselle laments the lack of attention afforded to it and emphasizes the evidence that characteristics of paper reveal. He identifies the fundamental characteristics of paper description and the means of determining these characteristics along with snags in doing so. Tanselle also emphasizes that the amount of information presented in a descriptive bibliography depends on the function of the bibliography. If the description is to function as a history of printings, details become more important despite limitations on the extent of apparent data. The function of this description of the Rouen Bible is wholly practical in nature it is an exercise in the application of basic descriptive bibliographic principles and, due to the historical and political nature of the translation offers contextual background as a supplement.

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The Rouen Bible: Bibliographic Description

Uniform Title:
The Bible. English. Great Bible Version. Rouen. 1566. Printed by Hamillon with funding from Richard Carmarden.

Transcription of the General Title Page:

THE. BIBLE.| In Englyshe of The|Largest and greatest Volu-|me that is to saye: the contentes|of all the holye Scripture, booth of|the oulde and newe|Testament.|According to the translation apoyn-|ted by the Queenes Maiesties In-|iunctions to be read in all church-|ches vvith in her Maiesties|Realme. At Roven.|At the coste and charges of|Richard Carmarden.|Cum privilegio.|1566

Transcription of Words in the Title Page Woodcut: Banderoles: Inscribed above Moses
heare are the lawes | which you shalt [swash s] lett be: | love them. Exod. xxi. Thease [swash s] are the ordynances [ragged r]| and lawes whiche ye shall [swash s] | obsurue [swash s] & doo. Deutero. xii. |

Inscribed above Jesus

This is my deare son in | whome I delite heare | hym. Matth. xvii. come unto me al ye that labore [ragged r]| & are lade: & I wil ease [swash s] you.

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Protrusion:
The lawe was syuen by Moses [swash s]. But, Grace, And truth, cam by Jesus [swash s] Christ [ragged r] [swash s]. Jhon. 1.

Below Elizabeth I Enthroned

Elizabetha Regina.

On the Shield:
HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE

Transcription of the Title Page of Part Two

The seconde [swash s]| parte of the Byble, con-|tayninge these [swash s]| books.| The booke of Joshua [swash s].| The booke of the Judges.| The booke of Ruth.| The first [ragged r] [swash s] booke of Samuel.| The.ij. booke of Samuel.| The .iij. Booke of the Kynges.| The .iiij. booke of the Kynges.| The.j. booke of the Chronicles [ragged r].| The.ij. booke of the Chronicles [ragged r].| The first booke of Esdras [swash s].| The.ij. booke of Esdras.| The booke of Hester [swash s].| The booke of Hiob. Three title pages, beginning with title page 2, are arranged with 24 woodcuts as a border surrounding the title section. Luborsky and Ingram state the woodcut designs are in varied decorative frames. Specific information on the woodcuts is available in Luborsky and Ingram (1998 121). Transcription of the title page of part three The thirde parte|of the Byble contaynyng|these [swash s] books.|The psalter [swash s]. The prouerbes.| Ecclesyastes. Catica Canticoru| The prophetes.| Esaye. Jonas| Jeremy. Micheas| Ezechiel. Naum.| Daniell. Abacuc.| Oseas. Sophonie.| Joel. Aggeus.| Amos Zachary.| Abdi. Malachi Transcription of the title page of part four The volume of| the bokes called Apocripha:| containing these bokes|folowynge.| The.iij. boke of Esdras.| The fourth boke of Esdras.| The boke of Tobiah.| The boke of Judith.| The rest of the boke of Hester.| The boke of Wysedome.| Ecclesiasticus.| Baruch the Prophete.| The songe of the three children.| The storye of Susanna.| The storye of Bel & the Dragon.| The prayer of Manasses.| The fyrste boke of Machabees.| The second boke of Machabees.A-L8. Signed to 5. Pentateuch.

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Transcription of the Title Page Compartment of Part Five The New Testament The newe Testa=|ment in Englyshe, translated after| the Greke, cotaynynge these| books. | The Gospels [first s is swash]. | Matthewe. Luke| Marke. Jhon.| The Actes | The Epistles of S. Paule.| To the Romaynes. The. i. Thessalonians [first ss is swashed]. | The Corinthians [ragged r]. The .ii. Thessalonians [first ss is swashed]. | The Corinthians [ragged r]. The. i. Timothe. | To the Galathians. The Timothe. | To the Ephesians [first s is swashed]. To Titus.| To the Philippians. To Philemon. | To the Collossians. To the Hebrues [ragged r]. | The Epistles [first s is swashed] of S. James. | The. i. of S. Peter. The. i. of Jhon. | The. ii. of S. Peter. The. ii. of S. Jhon. | The epistle [swash s] of S. Jude. The. iii. of S. Jhon. | The Reueiacyon of S. Jhon. | Narrative description: Title Page 1 and 5 The same woodcut appears on the general title page and the New Testament title page. The woodcut design that frames the first and the fifth title leaves may be conceived of in thirds or three sections of approximately equal proportions. The top section displays billowing clouds surrounding a radiant 4-pronged star with the word God written in four languages Hebrew, Greek, Latin and English. The Banderoles, transcribed previously, weave through the clouds uniting two figures that flank the center title compartment Moses stands to the right and Jesus to left of the title chamber. Beneath the title compartment and the two figures of Moses and Jesus, there is a ledge-like decoration with a quotation, transcribed previously, from the New Testament, John, Chapter 1. In the lower third of the first and fifth title page, beneath the ledge-like decoration, three female figures sit. The central figure is an image of Elizabeth I, enthroned underneath a canopy, in full regalia with the inscription in Roman type, Elizabetha Regina, at her feet. This image is redolent of Foxes woodcut of Elizabeth that personified her as a wise queen. Two other female figures flank her. The female to her right sits, holding a shield with the royal coat of arms. The royal coat of arms includes the fleur-de-lis in the first and third

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quarters with a Lion passant in the second and third quarters. Surrounding the crest is a scroll that bears the royal motto of the English chivalric Order of the Garter, HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE. These words are also in Roman type. To the left, a female sits, holding a ships anchor the Christian symbol of hope and salvation. Two winged cherubs hold the canopy that drapes over the three figures. This title leaf illustration of the Queen and her two followers clearly intends to represent wisdom, honor and hope. The royal arms depicted on the title page were in place from the reign of Henry IV of England in 1405 to 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I as James I of England. Liturgical Matter: The 22 preliminary leaves all relate to the litany and religious study See: (Darlow, T. H. and H. F. Moule 1903-1911 66). Prologue By Tyndale. See: (Darlow, T. H. and H. F. Moule 1903-1911 66)

Table of Contents
The books of the old Te| stament [swash s]. The Prophets. The Apochipha. The New Testament [swash s]. The Epistles [swash s]. All these [swash s] thynges are the booke of lyfe,| the couenaunt of the hyest [swash s] and the| knowledge of the truth, (put date in here).

Crown 2: !A !A", A-L#, A-Q#, R$, A-!S#, !T$, A-%K#, %L", A-!O#, M [$5 (-%M) signed]; 598 leaves, ff. [22] [i] ii-lxxxviii [i] ii-cxxxiiii [i] ii-cl [i] ii-xc [i] ii-cxiii [i] (all signed)

 Paper, Chainlines, and Watermarks

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Leaf size: 470 x 352 mm Sheet: Due to rebinding and trimming, sheets vary slightly Page: Leaded Paper: Handmade laid Watermarks: They are in the appropriate position for a folio -- at the 2/3 level of the sheet. However, they are indiscernible due to the blackletter. There appears to be more than one watermark and one may be of an oxs head, evidently quite a common shape for this period. Chainlines: 25 mm, consistent. Textblock: 58 lines to the full column, two parallel columns. Type: Blackletter Great Primer (20 ll. 122 mm) Headlines: maximum type of both lower and upper case type is 13 mm. Each chapter and verse is identified in the headline. Body of Text: type size varies: o Body: Black-letter; first line maximum height is 6 mm. o Chapter headings: Black-letter; maximum height is 4 mm. o Summaries: Black-letter, Pica; maximum height is 2 mm. o General Title: The initial two words, The Bible, are in Roman upper and lower case. Following this the type varies in size as it forms a broad inverted pyramid of six lines. The seventh line begins Roman upper and lower cases, followed by lower case except in the phrase By The Queenes Majesties. This phrase is inscribed in upper and lower case. All type is rubricated within the title block. The general title is enclosed within a rectangular compartment of approximately 127.5x78 mm. Chapters: Begin with a woodcut of varied ornate letterforms from different alphabets -- all ornate lettering represents a theme. The ornate letter is followed by the general body text. The ending of each chapter or book is stated using a Roman type Vulgate version with upper and lower case. Psalms: Every Psalm begins with upper case, Roman Vulgate version type. The first letter is an ornate letter, set within a square compartment. The compartments are approximately 20.3x20.3 mm. Clearly very precisely formed.

Tailpiece: Frequently found throughout this 598 ff. book. They are approximately 72.5x17mm. and have a flowing arabesque design within an elongated rectangular shape. Decorative Elements: The start of the book of Genesis also uses the same decorative element as the tailpiece, but it is not as wide it is approximately 50.2x11 mm. Endpapers or Flyleaves: 2 in the front, one in the back

 Illustration:

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Same full page woodcut on General Title Page and New Testament title page. Twenty-four woodcuts printed side by side on the title pages of parts 2-4. Some are signed IM On each of the 4 internal title pages, the title compartment is framed by a rectangular box approximately 113 x 8 mm. Two slim panels frame the title compartment on the longer side, each with varied decorative designs. These panels are approximately 127.5x11 mm

Ive included a brief description of the binding it would be copy specific, but possibly important in discovering more information about the reason for its publication and the transmission of this somewhat mysterious bible. I have noted seven different editions, but little bibliographic information is available. Binding: France, initially 16th century and restored in late 19th century, possibly early 20th, as indicated by the nature of paper in endpapers. Brown Morocco over boards, quite deteriorated, with traces of decoration that appear to be gilt in a faded geometric pattern. The spine has 6 nerves covered with cords and gilt stamping in Roman typeface on green leather.

Copy specific information

Endpapers or Flyleaves: 2 in the front, one in the back Flyleaf: Front -- Manuscript ex-libris Jac. Emerson feltmaker owes this book Anno dom[ini] 1684, repeated f. 2Aiii Jac. Emerson his book 1684 Manuscript note: f. lv Genesis: William Woulton John Dascayfell [?] Manuscript note: On the New Testament title page: I William Woulton due one unto Thomas Cook the sum| of five pound in full discharge of all debt due to this day being January the foure and twenty in witness whereof [remaining words cropped at binding] First Binding Plate: Pasted on the verso: Manuscript ex-libris: 1720 may the 30 J Richard Crilley owe this book [childish hand] Engraved ex-libris: A. Gifford D.D. of the museum; Library. Baptist College. Bristol; Library M. S. Carothers n. 199. Historical Background The Great Bible, the Cromwell Bible, or the Cranmer Bible all refer to the first

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authorized, standard English translation of the Protestant Bible. Each edition reflects the political currents dominant at the period of issue. The general or uniform title, namely, The Great Bible was descriptive of its size as well as a translation based on the Coverdale Bible of 1539. The three men, Cromwell, Coverdale and Cranmer were all involved in seeing the English Protestant bible translated into the vernacular or language of the laity, English. At the request of King Henry VIII (1509-1547), Cromwell chose Coverdale to carry out a translation that would be sufficiently conservative for the Crown to sanction it and sufficiently clear for the laity to understand it readily. Coverdale was a friend of both the court and Cromwell; he was viewed as reliable, predictable and conservative. As a result of the court and clerical sanctions, the Coverdale translation of 1539, became identified as The Great Bible. This translation was the first English Protestant bible sanctioned by the English court, bishops and clergy. The variant titles of the bible relate to those involved with its political and translation history as well as the authorship of its preface. The first edition is associated with Cromwell and its title page, engraved by Holbein, bears the King along with Cromwell and Cranmer. However, following the first edition, political currents changed, Cromwell fell out of favor with King Henry and Cranmer presided over the production of the next edition of the Great Bible. Cranmer also wrote the preface beginning with second edition; within two years, seven editions of the Great Bible or Cranmers Bible had been issued. The Rouen Bible, so designated due to the location of its publication, is a reprint of Cranmers Great Bible. However, in this edition a preface written by the English biblical

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translator and martyr, Tyndale appears. Much of the text has its origins in the earlier translation of the Bible by William Tyndale (14941536). The Psalms that appear in the Book of Common Prayer originate from this Bible, rather than the King James Bible (1611), written nearly a century after this first authorized Protestant Bible. Hamillon printed the Rouen Bible with funding from Richard Carmarden in Rouen in 1566. It is sometimes referenced as the Carmarden Great Bible. This edition is distinctive in its own right due to the elaborate workmanship of 24 diminutive woodcuts on three of the five title pages, emblematic iconography and extensive decorative lettering from, at least, ten languages. The origin of the small woodcuts that surround title compartments has not been determined as yet, though they appear to be derived from various Books of Hours. Oval or geometric shapes frame most of the central images in these woodcuts; such frames characterized illustrations used in Books of Hours. Some of the woodcuts are signed IM, others are anonymous. A study of the Rouen Bible is certainly a worthwhile pursuit though quite daunting. The number of title pages, sizes of type as well as letterform, obscure woodcuts, and ornate lettering, to say the least, is an enormous undertaking. However, such bibliographic research would produce significant learning in the application of bibliographic principles as well as biblical scholarship.

 Works Cited

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Darlow, T. H. & Moule, H. F. Historical Catalogue of the printed Editions of Holy Scripture in the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society. 4 vols. London: Bible House, 1903-11. Luborsky, R. S. & Igram, E. M. A Guide to English Illustrated Books 1536-1603. Tempe, Arizona: Medieval & Renaissance Texts and Studies. 1998. Print. STC (2 ed.) 2098 Tanselle, T. The Bibliographic Description of Paper. Studies in Bibliography, 24. 1971: 28-69. Electronic Text.
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