按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ey started the movement for a new version of the Bible。 It was on the second day of the conference； January 16th； that Dr。 Reynolds； president of Corpus Christi College； Oxford； who represented the moderate Puritan position； and； like many moderate men； was rather suspected by both extreme wings； instanced as one of the hardships of the Puritans that they were compelled to use the prayer…book of the time； and that it contained many mistranslations of Scripture； some of which he quoted。 Now； it so happens that the errors to which he referred occur in the Bishops' and the Great Bible； which were the two authorized versions of the time； but are all corrected in the Genevan version。 We do not know what point he was trying to make； whether he was urging that the Genevan version should supplant these others； or whether he was calling for a new translation。 Indeed； we are not sure that he even mentioned the Genevan version。 But James spoke up to say that he had never yet seen a Bible well translated into English； but the worst of all he thought the Genevan to be。 He spoke as though he had just had a copy given him by an English lady； and had already noted what he called its errors。 That was at the very least a royal evasion； for if there was any Book he did know it was the Genevan version。 He had been fairly raised on it； he had lived in the country where it was commonly used。 It had been preached at him many and many a time。 Indeed； he had used it as the text for that paraphrase of the Revelation of which we spoke a moment ago。 And he knew its noteswell he knew them knew that they were from republican Geneva； and that kingly pretensions had short shrift with them。 James told the conference that these notes were 〃very partial； untrue； seditious； savoring too much of traitorous and dangerous conceits；〃 supporting his opinion by two instances which seemed disrespectful to royalty。 One of these instances was the note on Exodus 1：17； where the Egyptian midwives are said to have disobeyed the king in the matter of destroying the children。 The note says： 〃Their disobedience to the king was lawful； though their dissembling was not。〃 James quoted that； and said： 〃It is false； to disobey the king is not lawful； and traitorous conceits should not go forth among the people。〃
Some of the High Church party objected that there were translations enough already； but it struck James's fancy to set them all aside by another version； which he at once said he would order。 It was to be made by the most learned of both universities； then to be revised by the bishops and other Church dignitaries； then presented to the Privy Council； and finally to be passed upon by himself。 There is the echo of some sharp Scotch experiences in his declaration that there were to be no marginal notes in that new version。
When they looked back on the conference； the Puritans felt that they had lost everything； and the High Church people that they had gained everything。 One of the bishops； in a very servile way； and on his knee； gave thanks to God for having given the country such a king； whose like had never been seen since Christ was on earth。 Certainly hard times were ahead for the Puritans。 The King harried them according to his word。 Within sixteen years some of them landed at Plymouth Rock； and things began to happen on this side。 That settlement at Plymouth was the outcome of the threat the King had made at the Hampton Court conference。
But looking back one can see that the conference was worth while for the beginning of the movement for the new version。 The King was true to his word in this line also； and before the year was out had appointed the fifty…four best Bible scholars of the realm to make the new version。 They were to sit in six companies of nine each； two at Oxford； two at Cambridge； and two at Westminster。 The names of only forty…seven of them have come down to us； and it is not known whether the other seven were ever appointed； or in what way their names have been lost。 It must be said for the King that the only principle of selection was scholarship； and when those six groups of men met they were men of the very first rank； with no peers outside their own numberswith one exception； and that exception is of some passing interest。 Hugh Broughton was probably the foremost Hebrew scholar of England； perhaps of the world； at the time； and apparently he was not appointed on the committee。 Chiefly； it seems to have been because he was a man of ungovernable temper and utterly unfitted to work with others。 Failure to appoint him； however； bit and rankled； and the only keen and sharp criticism that was passed on the version in its own day was by Hugh Broughton。 He sent word to the King； after it was completed； that as for himself he would rather be rent to pieces by wild horses than have had any part in the urging of such a wretched version of the Bible on the poor people。 That was so manifestly pique； however； that it is only to be regretted that the translation did not have the benefit of his great Hebrew knowledge。 John Selden； at his prime in that day； voiced the feeling of most scholars of the times； that the new translation was the best in the world and best gave the sense of the original。
We do not know much of the personnel of the company。 Their names would mean very little to us at this distance。 All were clergymen except one。 There were bishops； college principals； university fellows； and rectors。 Dr。 Reynolds； who suggested it in the first place； was a member； though he did not live to see the work finished。 This Dr。 Reynolds； by the way； was party to a most curious episode。 He had been an ardent Roman Catholic； and he had a brother who was an equally ardent Protestant。 They argued with each other so earnestly that each convinced the other； the Roman Catholic became a Protestant； and the Protestant became a Roman Catholic！ Dr。 Lancelot Andrewes； chairman of one of the two companies that met at Westminster； was probably the most learned man in England。 They said of him that if he had been present at the tower of Babel he could have interpreted for all the tongues present。 The only trouble was that the world lacked learning enough to know how learned he was。 His company had the first part of the Old Testament； and the simple dignity of the style they used shows how scholarship and simplicity go easily together。 Most people would consider that the least satisfactory part of the work is the second section； running from I Chronicles to Ecclesiastes。 A convert from another faith； who learned to read the Bible in English； once expressed to a friend of my own his feeling that except for the Psalms and parts of Job； there seemed to be here a distinct letting…down of the dignity of the translation。 There is good excuse for this； if it is so； for two leading members of the company who had that section in charge； both eminent Cambridge scholars； died very early in the work； and their places were not filled。 The third company； sitting at Oxford； were peculiarly strong； and had for their portion the hardest part of the Old Testamentall the prophetical writings。 But they did their part with finest skill。 The fourth company； sitting at Cambridge； had the Apocrypha； the books which lie between the Old and the New Testaments for the most part； or else are supplemental to certain Old Testament books。 Their work was rather hastily and certainly poorly done； and has been dropped out of most editions。 The fifth company； sitting at Oxford； with great Greek scholars on it； took the Gospels； the Acts； and the Revelation。 This company had in it the one layman； Sir Henry Savile； then the greatest Greek scholar in England。 It is the same Sir Henry Savile who heard； on his death…bed in 1621； that James had with his own hands torn from the Journal of Parliament the pages which bore the protest in favor of free speech in Parliament。 Hearing it； the faithful scholar prayed to die； saying： 〃I am ready to depart； the rather that having lived in good times I foresee worse。〃 The sixth company met at Westminster and translated the New Testament epistles。
It was the original plan that when one company had finished its part； the result should go to each of the other companies； coming back with their suggestions to the original workers to be recast by them。 The whole was then to be reviewed by a smaller committee of scholars to give it uniformity and to see it through the press。 The records are not extant that tell whether this was done in full detail； though we may presume that each section of the Scripture had the benefit of the scholarship of the entire company。
We know a good deal of the method of their work。 We shall understand it better by recalling what material they had at hand。 They were enabled to use the result of all the work that had been done before them。 They were instructed to follow the Bishops' Bible wherever they could do so fairly； but they were given power to use the versions already named from Wiclif down； as well as those fragmentary versions which were numerous； and of which no mention has been made。 They ransacked all English forms for felicitous words and happy phrases。 It is one of the interesting incidents that this same Hugh Broughton； who was left off the com