Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue, Treatise · Chapter 22

Defense of the Translations of the Scriptures into the English Tongue · Treatise · Chapter 22

p. 507CHAP. XXII. Other faults Iudaeical, prophane, meere vanities, follies, and nouelties.

Martin.

NOW leauing matters of controuersie, lette1. vsus talke a little with you familiarly, and learne of you the reason of other pointes in your translation, which to vsus seeme faults, and sauour not of that spirite whyche shoulde bee in Christian Catholike translatours.

Fulke.

OVR translations, as neare as the translators1. could see the truth, are euen, and iuste with the originall texte, the sense whereof, if it doe not alwaies containe suche excellent matter, as the Septuaginta, or vulgar Latin translation hauehave p. 508supposed, there is no cause why our translators shoulde be blamed, whose office is to regarde what the originall truth is, and not to drawe it for any respecte to an other meaning, thā the spirit of god expresseth in those words.

MART. 2. First, you are so profane, that you say, The ballet of ballets of Salomon, so terming that diuine booke, Canticum canticorū, contayning the high mysterie of Christ and his Church, as if it were a ballet of leue betweene Salomon and his concubine, as Castaleo wantonly translateth it. But you say more profanely, thus, we hauehave conceiued, we hauehave born in paine, as thoughe wee shoulde hauehave brought …oo… … wind. I am ashamed to tel the literall commentarie of this yourEsay. 26. v. 18.Isa 26:18 translation▪ why might you not hauehave said, we hauehave conceiued and as it were traueled to bring forth, and hauehave brought forth the spirite? is there any thing in the Hebrewe, to hinder you thus far? Why woulde you say, winde, rather than, spirite: knowing, that the Septuagintain Greeke, and the auncient fathers, and S. Hierome himselfe, who translateth according toAmbr. li. 2. de interpel. c. 4. Chryso. in Ps. 7. prope finem. See S. Hierome vponupon this place.Ps 7 the Hebrew, yet for sense of the place, al expound it both according to Hebrew and Greeke, of the spirite of God, which is first conceiued in vsus, & beginneth by feare, which the scripture calleth, the beginning of wisdome▪ in so muche, that in the Greeke there are these goodly words, famous in al antiquitie: Through the feare of thee ô lord we conceiued, and hauehave trauailed with paine, and hauehave brought forth the spirite of thy saluation, which thou hast made vponupon the earth. Which doth excellently set before our cies, the degrees of a faithful mans increase, and proceeding in the spirite of God, which beginneth by the feare of his iudgements, and is a good feare, though seruile, and not sufficient. and it may be, that you condemning wyth Luther this seruile feare, as euil and hurtfull, meane also some such thing by your trāslatiō. But indede the place may be vnderunder stode of the other fear also, which hath his degrees more or lesse.

FVLK. 2. I meruaile why this word ballet should seme to you to be profane, more than this word song, or canticle: songs and cāticles be many as il as any ballets. p. 509But the other matter is of greate waight, Esay. 26. where, for the spirite, we translate winde, whych is suche an absurditie, that you are ashamed to tel the literall cōmentarie of this our translation. Belike you are afraide of suche a faulte as S. Lambert, in your legend is reported to hauehave committed. But excepte you hadde a prophane minde, you would neuer hauehave imagined any such matter thereof, which you are ashamed to vtter. The circumstāce of the place requireth, that we should translate the word in this place for wind, and not the spirit: for the pro phets pur pose was to shew, that people wer in desperat case, without hope of help, til God did raise them, euē as it were frō death. The similitude is taken of a trauailing woman, whose womb, if it be ful of wind, she is in great tormentes. But you aske vsus whether there be anie thing in the Hebrue, that hindreth vsus to say, we hauehave cōceiued, and as it were traueled, and hauehave brought forth the spirit. Yea verily the cōtext of the Hebrue words, wil not beare that translation for the worde chemo, quasi, as it were, isforeign placed before the word ialadhenu, which signifieth, bringing foorth, and not before chalnu, which signifieth trauailing in paine. Therfore the text is worde for word as wee hauehave translated it. And the word following: wee coulde make no helpe to the lande, or there was no help in the earth, declareth a continuance of their miserie, and cannot agree with that sense, whiche you woulde hauehave, because they which hauehave receiued the holy Ghost, hauehave founde helpe, and are able to helpe. Beside that, it is a monstrous phrase, that the godly shoulde saye, they hauehave conceiued, trauailed, and brought foorthe the holie Ghost, by which they are borne againe to bee the children of God, rather, than that they hauehave conceiued or brought forth Gods spirite. And therfore, howsoeuer Hierom like your interpretation, it agreeth neither with the words of the Hebrue, nor with the circūstance of the place, & it is scarce tollerable, to make such a conceptiō, and generation of Gods spirite in men. That seruile p. 510feare is to be reprooued in the children of God, whych: shoulde feare him, as sonnes, and not as slaues, wee are content to acknowledge with Luther. But what place is this for vsus to meane any thing against seruile feare, wh… there is no mention of feare in the Hebrewe texte? and the Greeke hathe suche licentious additions, that Hierome is faine to strike them through with a spitte, and note them to be wiped out.

MART. 3. But to saye, wee hauehave broughte foorthe winde, can admit no suche interpretation▪ but euen as if a meere Iew should translate or vnderstand it, who hath no sense of Gods spirite, so hauehave you excluded the true sense which concerneth the holie Ghost, and not the colde terme of winde, and whatsoeuer naked interpretation thereof. And it is your fashion in al such cases, where the richer sense is of Gods holie spirite, there to translate winde, as Psal. 147. v. 1…. as you number the psalmes.

FVLK. 3. We must say in english, as the prophet hath said before vsus in Hebrue, and so truly translate the scripture, that neuer a Iewe in the world, may hauehave iust cause to accuse our falshode or partialitie. And how cold soeuer the terme of winde seeme to your crooked minde, and how naked soeuer the interpretation be thought of your cloaked hypocrisie, it is the worde of the euerliuing God, and the true sense thereof, as it is expressed by the Prophet. Likewise, Psalme 147. the Prophet sheweth who doth execute the commandement of God, in thawing, & dissoluing the frost namely, the wind, which being southerly, wee see the effect of it, what neede wee here to cause the holie ghost to be sent to melt the ice.

MART. 4. And it is not vnlike to this, that you wil not translate for the Aungels honor that carried Abacu…, He setteforeign. him into Babilon ouer the lake by the force of his spirite: but thus, through a mightie winde, so attributing it to the winde, not to the Aungels power, and omitting cleane the Greeke pronoune foreign, his, which sheweth euidently, that it was the Angels spirite, force, and power.

p. 511FVLK. 4 That we hauehave translated in the storie of Abacuks taking vp, that it was through a mighty winde, it hath good probabilitie by the circumstance of the place, and the signification of foreign, which is a force with with a noise, is more apt to the winde, than to the spirite. And in other writers foreign, is taken for the vehement noise of windes: but the pronoune, I confesse, should not hauehave bene omitted, and then it may be referred, either to the winde, or spirite of God, whose Angell this is sayd to be: rather than to the Angel. For the Angell being nothing but a spirite, it is not so conuenient to saye, by his spirite, as by his owne force: againe, the pronoune is not foreign, but foreign, whereof you made great difference, as in deede there is difference in another case.

MART. 5. Againe, where the Prophets speake most manifestly of Christ, there you translate cleane an other thing: as Esa. 30. v. 20. When S. Hierom translateth thus, & the churchBib. 1579. hath alwayes redde accordingly▪ Non faciet auolare à te vltra Doctorem tuum: & erunt oculi tui videntes praeceptorem tuum. that is, And (our Lord) shall not cause thy Doctors to flie from thee any more: and thine eyes shall seeforeign thy Maister. Which is all one in effect, with that which Christ sayth, I will be with you vntounto the e…de of the word. there you translate thus, Thy raine shall be no more kept back: but thine eyes shall see thy raine. So likewise Ioel 2. v. 23. where the holy Church readeth, Reioyce you children of Sion in the Lord your God: because he hath giuen you the Doctor of iustice: there you translate, the raine of righteousnesse. Doth the Hebrue word force you to this? youSee foreign …yrain 30. Esa. Iewes thēselues, partly vnderstād it of Esdras, partly of Christs Diuinitie. Why are you more profane (I will not say more Iudaical…) than the Iewes themselues? why might not S. Hierom a Christian Doctor and lacking no skill in the Hebrue (as you well know) satisfie you, who maketh no doubt but the Hebrue in these places is; Doctor, Maister, Teacher? Who also (in Psal. 84. 7.) translateth thus, With blessings shall the p. 512Doctor be araied: meaning Christ. Where you with the later Rabbines, the enemies of Christ, translate, The raine co…ereth the pooles. What cold stuffe is this in respect of that other translation, so clearly pointing to Christ out Maister & doctor?

FVLK. 5. I hauehave told you in the beginning of this chapter, we must not, neither is it safe for the strengthening of our faith, to drawe places of Scripture vntounto Christ, which by the holy Ghost had an other meaning: so shall the Iewes laugh vsus to scorne, and the faith of the ignorant, which is grounded vponupon such translation, if it shall be opened vntounto them, that it is vntrue, shall be mightily shaken, and brought in doubt of all other places of Scripture, applyed to the like ende. God be thanked, there be plaine and euident testimonies of Christ, in the Scripture, which no malice of Iewish or Heathenish enemies, can wrest out of our handes, which are sufficient for instruction, and confirmation of our faith. Now concerning those places, where you would hauehave foreign, to signifie a Doctour, Teacher, or Maister: first, it seemeth you hauehave your Hebrew, but from hande to mouth: for chapter 3. sect. 25. whereas we translate, moreh shaker, a teacher of lyes, Abacuc. 2. you saye, weeforeign translate another thing, without any necessary pretence of Hebrewe, or Greeke: and here you would hauehave it of the necessitie of the Hebrew, that we should translate a teacher: yet Pagnine in the roote foreign, wherevnto you referre vsus, saith, that Esay, the 30. verse 20. this word is taken either for raine, or for a teacher, Ioel the 2. hee maketh no question▪ but it signifieth raine: sauing that some thinke it to be the name of a place. In the thirde place, Psalme 84. after he hath tolde you, how Hierome translateth it, hee telleth you how R. Dauid, and other doe translate it for raine, as wee doe: and in al these places, the sense is more proper for raine, than for a teacher, sauing that in Esay, perhappes, it may signifie more aptly a teacher, and so the Geneua translation noteth it. In Ioel, where the Prophet before hadde threatened famine p. 513through drought, nothing is so conuenient to bee vnderstoode, as seasonable raine. In the Psalm 84. where the Prophet commendeth the courage of the people that trauailed to Ierusalem, through the drie desarts, and places that wanted water, it is moste apte to vnderstand, that God filleth their pits with raine, for their comfort. This, how cold soeuer it is counted of you that care not whereon faith shoulde be grounded, yet is it an hundred times more comfortable to a godly conscience, that desireth to bee established in trueth, than anye violent wresting of the Scripture, from the true and naturall sense, to anye other interpretation, how good in shew soeuer it be.

MART. 6. And againe, where S. Hierom translateth,Esa. 5….Isa 5 and the Church readeth, and all the fathe…s interprete and expound accordingly, There shal be faith in thy times: to expresse the maruelous faith that shall be then, in the first Christians specially, euen vntounto death, and in all the rest concerning the hidden mysteries of the newe Testament: there you translate, There shal be stabilitie of thy times. The Prophete ioyneth togither there, iudgement, iustice, faith, wisedome, knowledge, the feare of our Lord: you for a litle ambiguitie of the Hebrue worde, turne faith into stabilitie.

FVLK. 6. The word stabilitie Esai. 33. v. 6. excludeth not faith, but sheweth wherein faith is grounded. And therefore, this is as all the reste, a fonde quarrel, without any good grounde at all. Seing our translation may stande with the truth of the wordes, and of the matter, and comprehendeth as much as you would hauehave, and more also. Yea it sheweth that faith is setled vponupon stabilitie, and stedfastnesse of truth, which shall flourish in the time of Christ.

MART. 7. If I should burden you with translatingEsa. 2.Isa 2 thus also concerning Christ, Cease from the man whose breath in his nostrels: for wherein is he to be esteemed? You would say I did you wrong, because it is so pointed now in the Hebrue. Wheras you know very wel by S. Hieroms commentarieforeign p. 514vponupon that place, that this is the Iewes pointing or reading of the worde, against the honour of Christe: the true reading and translation being as he interpreteth it, for he is reputed high▪ and therefore beware of him. Otherwise (as S. Hierom saith) what a consequence were this, or who would commend any man thus, Take heede ye offende not him, who is nothing esteemed? yet that is your translation. Neyther doth the Greeke helpe you which (if the accent be truely put) i… thus, because he is reputed for some body or some thing▪ foreign. Gal. 2. v. 6.Gal 2:6as S. Paule speaketh of the chiefe Apostles, and it is our phrase in the commendation of a man.

FVLK. 7. So long as you acknowledge, wee hauehave translated truely according to the Hebrue texte that we reade, there is no reason, that you should burden vsus with false interpretation. The Septuaginta, as Hierome confesseth, did reade as we doe, and plaine it is, not oneli… by the vowels, but also by the contexte, that so it muste be read. For the Prophet disswadeth the people from putting affiance in any mortall man, for God wil bring downe the pride of all suche, as they truste moste in, as it followeth in the next chapiter, whereof this verse should be the beginning. The dismembring whereof, by the ill diuision of the Chapiter, deceiued Hierome, to think the Prophet spake of Christe, when he spake of a prowd man▪ whose breath was in his nostrels, and therefore he was of no strength: euen as Dauid vseth the same argument, Psalme. 146. for the purpose, The Chaldee Paraphrase also did reade, euen as the Septuaginta.

MART. 8. The like excuse you woulde hauehave by alleadging the Hebrue vowels, if you were told, that you much obs…ure a notable saying of the prophet concerning Christ, or rather theOsee. 12. 10.Hos 12:10 speach of Christe himselfe by his prophete, saying: I hauehave spoken by the Prophets, and I hauehave multiplied vision, and in the hand of the Prophets, (that is, by the Prophets) hauehave I beene resembled. Which later words do exceedingly expresse, that al the Prophets spake of Christ: as o…r Sauiour himself declareth, beginning from Moyses and al the Prophetes to…uc. 24. v. 27. p. 517interprete vntounto the two disciples, the things that concernedActs. 3.Acts 3 him: & as S. Pet…r saith in these words, Al the prophets from Samuel and that spake after him didde tell of these daies. This prophecie then being so consonant to these speachesforeign. of the …ewe Testament, the Greeke also being word for word so, the Hebrewe by changing one little pricke (whyche the latter Iewes hauehave added at their owne pleasure) being fully so as weeforeign …eade with the Catholike Church: why pretend you the Iewes authoritie to maintaine an other lesse Christian translation, whiche is thus: I vse similitudes by the ministerie of the Prophetes. as though there were nothing there concerning Christ▪ or the second person peculiarly?

FVLK. 8. Seeing our Sauiour Christ hath promised, that neuer a pricke of the lawe shall perishe, wee may vnderstande the same also of the Prophets, who hauehave not receiued the vowels of the latter Iewes, but euen of the Prophets themselues, howsoeuer that heathenish opinion pleaseth you, and other Papistes.

MART. 9. You wil also perhaps alleadge, not onelye theThe Hebrevve text, is no certaine rule to interpreate by. later Iewes, but also some later Catholike men, that so translate the Hebrewe. But the difference betweene them and you, is, that they, with reuerence and pre…erment alwaies of S. Hi…roms, and the Churches a…ient translation, tel vsus how it is nowe in the Hebrewe: you, with derogation and disanulling the same altog…ther, set downe your owne, as the onlie true interpretation according to the Hebrewe: a…ouching the Hebrewe that nowe i…, and as now it is printed, to be the only authenti cal truth of the olde Testament. Where you can neuer answere vsus, howe that in the Ps. 22. As a lion my hand and my feete, (as now it is in the Hebrewe) can be the true and old authentical Hebrewe,foreign whiche none of the fathers knewe, the auncient Rabbines condemne as a corruption, your selues translate it not, but after the olde accustomed reading, They hauehave pierced my handes & my feete. Which is a notable prophecie of our Sauiours kinde and maner of Passion, being crucified on the Crosse. Onelye the later Iewes, and suche Heretikes, as thinke he died vponupon a gallow…s or gibbes, and not vponupon the Crosse, they like this Hebrue p. 518textwel, and stand vponupon i…, as you do vponupon al without exception, and yet, when it commeth to certaine particulars, you are cō pelled to forsake it. as in certaine other places▪ for example.

FVLK. 9. Isidorus Clarius, retaining the word, assi…ulatus sum, doth thus expounde it, in his note. Hoc est voluntatem meam similitudinibus & varijs l…cutioni… gene…ibu… …locutus sum. That is, I hauehave vttered my wil by similitudes and diuers kindes of speach: you see therfore, howe you are deceiued in aduouching this matter of your owne pseudocatholikes, when this Bishop, not departing from your reading, yet expoundeth this text according to the Hebrewe, and was allowed in so doing, by the Deputies of the Councel of Trent, whose sensure was obserued in printing this Bible. Where you repeate yet once again, that we can neuer answere that of a lion, Psa. 22. you shew your skil, and great reading▪ I hauehave answeared before in the preface sect. 44. that we forsake the hebrue in this, or in any other, it is vtterly false, for we follow no text, but the Hebrue, so neare as we can vnderstād it, & expresse it.

MART. 10. Where the Hebrewe saith, Achaz king of Israel, 2. Paralip. 28. v. 19. which is not true, you are compelledFaultes in the Hebrevv text. to translate, Achaz king of Iuda, as the truth is, and as it is in the Greeke and the vulgar Latine. yet some of your Bibles**Bib. 1579. folow the falshode of the Hebrew.

FVLK. 10. While you take vppon you, to discouer faults in the hebrue text, you bring three exāples, which if they were all faultes, containe no matter of doctrine, whereby we may be deceiued in any article of faith. The first is, that Achaz, z. Chr. 28. v. 19. is called King of Israel, whereas he was King only of Iuda. But I pray you sir, was not Iuda parte of Israel? why might he not then be called a king, or one of the Kings of Israel? The Queene of England, may wel be called Regina Brytanniae, althoughe there be a King in Scotland. Although there may be an other cause why Achaz is called King of Israel, because in his dayes when Pekah the sonne of Remaliah was slaine, the kingdome of Israel, that had continued from Ieroboams p. 519time, vntil then, was now in a maner decaied. For Hosea was of smal power, and made tributarie to the King of Assyria, and peraduenture also in the time of Achaz was kept in prison: as it is certaine he was emprisoned, 2. Reg. 17. v. 4. so that, when there was none other King of Israel to account of, Achaz might be called king of Israel, as also in the same chapter the last verse, though he were buried at Ierusalem, and in the citie of Dauid, it is saide, that he was not laide in the sepulchres of the Kings of Israel: where your vulgare Latine text hath, Israel, and not Iuda.

MART. 11. Likewise, where the Hebrewe saith, Zedechias his brother, meaning the brother of Ioachim, you translate,Bib. 1579. Zedechias his fathers brother, as indede the truth is, according to the Greeke, and to the Scripture, 4. Reg. 24. v. 19. and therefore your Bible whych foloweth the Hebrewe here also, translating, his brother, yet in the margen: putteth downe a… more true, vncle.

FVLK. 11. This argueth no fault in the Hebrue text, but grose ignorance of the Hebrew …ong in you, whiche knew not, that ach, signifieth, not only a brother, but also,foreign any other kinsman, as the vncle, cousins, and such like, as, Gen. 13. Abraham and Lot, are called brethrē, yet was Abraham Lots vncle, Deut. 25. when brethren shall dwell togither, the lawe of marying the brothers wife, that died without issue, there the word brethren pertaineth to kinsmen farre off, as appeareth in the storie of Ruth, ca. 3. & 4. finally, it is a thing so commonly knowen to thē, which hauehave but a little smacke in the Hebrew tong, that I wil spend no time about it. And euē your vulgar translation in some antient copies, hath fratrem, & not patr…ū, as you may see in the Bible printed by Plantin 1567.

MART. 12. Likewise in an other place, the hebrewe is so out of frame, that some of your Bibles say, hee begate Azuba of his wife Azuba. and othersome translate, He begat Ierioth of his wife Azuba: the hebrue being thus: he begat Azu ba his wife and I…rioth, whyche, neyther you, nor any man p. 520else can easily tel what to make of. Thus you see howe easie it were (if a man woulde multiplie such examples) to shew by your owne testimonies the corruption of the Hebrewe, and that yourIn the preface of the ne…ve Testament. selues do not, nor dare not exactly folow it, as of the Greeke text of the new Testament also is declared else where.

FVLK. 12. The third fault you finde, is 1. Chron. 2. v. 18. where the interpretors are deceiued, while they takeforeign eth, for a signe of the accusatiue case, whych in that place, as in diuers other, is taken for a preposition, of, or by, as Gen. 4. Eue saith, I hauehave obtained a son eth Iehouah, of the Lord, or by the Lords gift, &c. Gen. 44. they were gone out eth hayir, of, or from the citie. So here the true translation of this verse in question, is this. Caleb the sonne Chet…ron, begate of Azuba, his wife, and of Ierioth: that is, he had children by these two women, Azuba his wife, and Ierihoth, which was his concubine, so they called them, that were lawful wiues, in respect of matrimonie, but yet had not the honor of wiues, but being of base condition beefore they were marryed, so continued: by this Ier…hoth he had those three sonnes, that in thys verse are named, his children by Azuba are named afterwarde, verse. 42. Wherefore heere is no faulte in the Hebrewe, but in your vulgare translator, which maketh Ierihoth the sonne of Azuba, and addeth to the text, because he vnderstoode it not. It is false therefore that you say, we dare not folow the Hebrewe, because some translator, by ouersight, hath not attained to the right vnderstanding thereof: as also, that we dare not exactly folowe the Greeke of the newe Testament, which we desire to follow as exactly as we can.

MART. 13. But it is greater maruel, why you folowe not the Hebrewe in other places also, where is no corruption. You protest to translate it according to the points or vowels that now it hath, and that you call the Hebrewe veritie. Tel me then I beseeche you, why doe you in al your Bibles translate thus, O Virgin, daughter of Sion, hee hathe despised thee, andEsay. 37. v. 22.Isa 37:22 laughed thee to scorne: ô daughter of Hierusalem hee p. 521hath shaken his head at thee. In the Hebrew, Greeke, S. Hieromesforeign. translation and commentarie, it is cleane contrary, The Virgin daughter of Sion, hath despised thee (O Assur:)foreign. the daughter of Hierusalem hath shakē her head at thee. All are the foeminine gender, and spoken of Sion literally, andforeign of the Church spiritually triumphing ouer Assur, and all her enemies: you translate all as of the masculine gender, and apply it to Assur, insulting against Hierusalem, &c. I can not cōceiue what this translation meaneth, and I would gladly know the reason, and I would hauehave thought it some grosse ouersight, but that I find it so in all your English Bibles, and not onelyonly in this place of Esay, but also in the bookes of the kings, 4. Reg. 19. where the same words are repeated. And it is no lesse maruell vntounto vsus, that know not the reason of your doings, why you hauehave11Bib. 1577. left out Alleluia Alleluia.nine times in the sixe last Psalmes, being in the Hebrew nine times more than in your translation: specially when youforeign knowe that it is the auncient and ioyfull song of the Primitiue Church. See the new English Testament, Annot. Apoc. 19.

FVLK. 13. It seemeth that our translators followed too much the iudgement of the Tigurine translator, who, what reason moued him so to translate, I know not, it seemeth they weyed not well the Hebrew in that place, but such is mans frailtie, that he is apt and easie t… …b deceaued, if he be not very vigilant, and attentiue in those cases. And the example of one mans errour, that is of credite, soone draweth other men into the same, by countenance of his authoritie. Neuerthelesse two of our translations, the Bishops Bible, and Couerdales Bible, translate the very same words according to the Hebrew, 2. Reg. 19. referring the saying against Senacherib despised, and laughed to scorne by Ierusalem. And therefore you say vntruly, that is is in all our English Bibles, 4. Reg. 19. Where you maruaile, why we hauehave left out Alleluia nine times in the sixe last Psalmes, I maruaile as much, why you should so saye: for in the Bishops Bible which I hauehave, and which you call Bib. 1577. It is tenne times in the fiue last Psalmes, and tenne times there is in p. 522the translation, Praise ye the Lord. In the 145. it is not in the Hebrew. But in the other fiue Psalmes, it is both in the beginning, and in the ende of eueryevery one of them.

MART. 14. Againe, you translate thus: Many which had seene the first house, when the foundation of this house was layd before their eyes, wept, &c. Looke well to your Hebrew, and you shall find it according both to the Greeke and the Latine, thus: Many which had seene the first house in the foundation thereof, (that is, yet standing vponupon the foundation, not destroyed) and this temple before their eyes, wept. You imagined that it should be meant, they saw Salomons temple, when it was first founded, which because it was vnpossible, therefore you translated otherwise than is in the Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine. But yet in some of your Bibles, you should hauehave considered the matter better, and translated accordingly.

FVLK. 14. The Hebrew is indifferent, Ezra. 3. to either of both translations, and the sense is all one, whether beiasedho be referred to the first house, named before,foreign or to this house before their eyes, which followeth. And therefore your coniecture of our imagination, as in other places, is no more bold, than vaine.foreign

MART. 15. And surely why you shoulde translate (4.foreign Reg. 23. v. 13.) On the right hand of mount Oliuete, rather than as it is in the vulgar Latine: and why, Ye abiect offoreign. the Gentiles, Esa. 45. v. 20. rather than, ye that are saued of the Gentiles: you belike know some reason, we doe not, neitherforeign by the Hebrew, nor the Greeke.

FVLK. 15. The Geneua Bible hath according to the Hebrew, the mount of corruption, which was in deed the Mount Oliuet, as is proued by 1. Reg. 11. v. 7. and 2. Sam. 15. v. 30. and of the fruitfulnes of oyle was called Mischethith: but in this place, in detestation of the idolatrie, is called Maschith, signifying corruption, as Bethel was called Bethauen. Osec. 4. v. 15.

In Esai 45. two of our translations, hauehave according to the vsuall signification of the Hebrewe worde pelitei, p. 523foreignyou that escaped of the people, but that the worde also signifieth an abiect, you might hauehave learned by Pagnine, and so ceased to hauehave maruailed, why the Geneua Bible translateth, you abiects of the Gentiles. As your owne vulgar translation, Ier. 44. trāslateth it, of them that fled, or fugitiues.

MART. 16. Howbeit in these lesser things (though nothing in the Scripture is to be counted litle) you might perhaps more freely hauehave taken your pleasure, in following neither Hebrew, nor Greeke: but when it concerneth a matter no lesse than vsurie, there by your false translation to giuegive occasion vntounto the Reader, to be an vsurer, is no small fault, either against true religion,Bib. 1562. 1577. or against good maners. This you doe most euidently in your most authenticall translations, saying thus: Thou shaltDeut. 23. v. 19.Deut 23:19 not hurt thy brother by vsurie of money, nor by vsurie of corne, nor by vsurie of any thing that he may be hurt withall. What is this to say, but that vsurie is not here forbidden, vnles it hurt the partie that boroweth, which is so rooted in most mens hartes, that they thinke such vsurie very lawfull, andforeign daily offend mortally that waye. Where Almightye God in this place of holy Scripture, hath not a word of hurting, or not hurting, (as may be seene by the Geneua Bibles,) but sayth simply thus: Thou shalt not lend to thy brother to vsurie, vsurie of money, vsurie of meate, vsurie of any thing that is putforeign &c. to vsurie.

MART. 17. Marke the Hebrew, and the Greeke, and see, and be ashamed, that you straine and peruert it, to say for, Non foenerabis fratri tuo, which is worde for worde in the Greeke, and Hebrew, Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie. If the Hebrew word in the vse of holy Scripture, doe signifie, to hurt by vsurie, why doe you in the very next words following, in the selfe same Bibles translate it thus, vntounto a straungeribid. v. 20. thou mayst lend vponupon vsurie, but not vntounto thy brother? Why sayd you not, A straunger thou mayst hurt with vsurie, but not thy brother? Is it not all one word & phrase, here and before? And if you had so translated it here also, the Ie…es woulde hauehave thanked you, who by forcing the Hebrewe p. 524word as you doe, thinke it very good to hurt any straunger, that is, any Christian, by any vsurie, be it neuer so great.

FVLK. 16. & 17. You saye well, that in the Scripture, nothing is to be counted litle, and therefore, euen in these litle thinges, we hauehave endeuoured to follow the Hebrew, and hauehave so well followed it, that though you say much, yet you can proue litle against vsus. But concerning this text of vsurie, whereof you would make vsus great patrones, it is maruell that you can not finde in your Dictionaries, that the verbe, nashach, signifieth toforeign bite, at least wise you should hauehave regarded, that your vulgar Latine Interpretor, Num. 21. trāslateth it to strike, or hurt, as they were, that were hurt, or bitten by the fierie serpents. The consent of all Hebritians also is, that neshech, the name of vsurie, is deriued of biting, and hurting,foreign wherefore the Bishops Bible, meaning to expresse, that all vsurie is hurtfull, according to the etymologie of the word, rather than to defend, that any vsurie is lawful, other than such as God him selfe alloweth. And therfore it had bene well to hauehave translated also in the next verse, a straunger mayst thou bite, or hurt with vsurie, howsoeuer the Iewes would take it, whose abhominable vsurie, vnderunder pretence of that place, sure I am, our translators purpose was not to defend.

MART. 18. What shall I tell you of other faults, which I would gladly account ouersights or ignorances, such as we also desire pardon of, bus all are not such, though some be. As, TwoCant. Cantic. c. 8. v …2.Song 8:2 thousand, (written at length) to them that keepe the fruite thereof. In the Hebrew, and Greeke, two hundred. Againe, in…ab. 2579. the same booke, c. 1. v. 4. As the fruites of Cedar. in the Hebrew, and Greeke, Tabernacles. And, Aske a signe either inIsa. 7. v. 11.Isa 7:11 the depth or in the height aboue, for, in the depth of Hell. And, Great workes are wrought by him. for, doe workeMat. 14. v22.Matt 14:22 in him. as S. Paule vseth the same word, 2. Cor. 4. v. 12. And,foreign. Bib. 1577. To make ready an horse. Act. 23. v. 24. in the Greeke, beastes, And. If a man on the Sabboth day receiue circumcision, without breaking of the law of Moyses. Io. 7. v. 23. p. 525For, to the end that the lawe of Moyses be not broken. foreign.And, The sonne of man must suffer many things, and be reproued of the elders, Mar. 8. v. 31. For, be reiected. Asforeign. in the Psalme, The stone which the builders reiected, we say not, reprouing of the said stone, which is Christ. And foreign,1. Tim. 3. Mar. 3.1 Tim 3Mark 3 a yong scholer, in all your translations, falsely. And, Simon of Chanaan or Simon the Cananite, who is called otherwise, Zelotes, that is Zelous, as an interpretation of the Hebrue word, Cananaeus: which I maruell you considered not, specially considering that the Hebrue worde for Zelous, and the other for aforeign Cananite, beginne with diuers letters. And, least at any timeHeb. 2. v. ….Heb 2 we should let them slippe. For, least wee slippe or runne by, and so be lost.

FVLK. 18. The first in Can. 8. is doubtlesse the printers faulte, who did reade in the written copie, one Cypher to much. That the second Can. 1. v. 5. was the printers fault, which did reade fruites for tentes, it is plaine by the note vponupon the worde Kedar, which is this, Kedar was Ischmaels sonne, of whom came the Arabians, that dwelt in tentes. In the thirde place Esai 7. there lacketh this worde (beneath) or towarde the pit downeward, for Shealah is here opposite to Lemayelah aboue, or vpward,foreign which omission, I know not whether it is to be imputed to the negligence of the Printer, or of the translators, but not withstanding the sense is all one. In the fourth texte also, there is no difference for the meaning, and some are of opinion, that foreign, may be taken passiuely, as foreign, Beza in Marc. 6. v. 14. other translations turne it actiuely. In the fifte text. Act. 23. if for an horse, they had saide horses, it had bene no faulte, for it is not lyke they rodde vponupon Asses, or Camels. The worde signifieth beasts, that are possessed, and of possession they be called foreign, but here it is certaine, beastes meete for cariage of men are signified. In the sixte, Ioan. 7. v. 23. I thinke the translators were deceiued, supposing that foreign might be translated, so that the lawe of Moses be not broken, as perhaps it may: but hereof I will not determine, p. 526commonly foreign signifieth to the ende: yet is there no vngodly sense conteyned in this translation. The seuenth, Mar. 8. v. 31. Is but a knot in a rushe: for reproued in that place, signifieth nothing but refused, or reiected. Your vulgar Latine sayth Reprobari, which is plainely to be reproued, and 1. Pet. 2. The stone which the builders reproued, Reprobauerunt, refused. By reproued, they do not meane reprehended, or rebuked, but vtterly refused, and not accepted. The eight, Neophytus, a young scholler, as I hauehave shewed before is better Englished, than a Neophyte, which is neither Greeke, Latine, nor English. The ninth, is corrected in two translations, and the Geneua Bible telleth you, that for Cananite you may reade Zealous, so that wee are not beholding to you for this correction, as it seemeth you would hauehave vsus. Touching the tenth texte, Heb. 2. both those translations that say: least at any time wee should let them slippe, hauehave this note in the margent, by which they declare they meane euen as you would hauehave them say: least like vessels ful of chappes we leake, and runne out on eueryevery parte, for vessels that do runne out, do let goe or let slippe that licour that is put into them.

MART. 19. And as for the first Bible, which was doneA…. 1562. in hast, and not yet corrected, but is printed still a freshe: that saith, With Herods seruants, as though that were the onelyonlyMat. 22.Matt 22 sense: that calleth idiotas lay men:11Mat. 24.Matt 24 foreign, a ship:22Mar. 5.Mark 5 foreign, wondering:33Mat. 25. Eph. 3.Matt 25Eph 3 foreign, are gone out: foreign, his substance: and, To know the excellent louelove of the knowledge of Christ. For, the louelove of Christ that excelleth knowledge. And, of men that turne away the truth. For, that shunne the truthTit. 1▪Titus 1 and turne away from it. And, Mount Sina is Agar in Arabia. For, Agar is mount Sina, &c.

FVLK. 19. The first Bible was not that you meane, but not much differing from it, neither was it done in hast, but with as good cōsideratiō, as god gaue for that time: neither was it printed these 22. yeares, for ought I know, which you say is printed still a fresh. In that Bible p. 527Herods seruaunts, put for the Herodians, was lacke of knowledge of what sect the Herodiās should be. Idiotas, Lay mē, is no more faulte, than, of the vulgar sort, which you say. The shippe for the Arke, is a smal fault, seing that arke into which Noe entred, was a ship, or in steede of a shippe. The wōdring, for the tumult, is a populer terme: for so they call a great noyse made by a multitude. The lampes are gone out, or are quenched, I know not what great difference may be in it. His substaunce foreign, I know not where you meane, except it bee Marke. 13. where Erasmus noteth, that he hath redde in some copie foreign, substaunce, which seemeth to agree aptly with the place. In the texte Eph. 3. the true translation is as wee hauehave corrected it in the later editions: yet the wordes maye beare that other interpretation also. In Titus the firste, the participle is of the meane voyce, and therefore may signifie actiuely or passiuely. In Gal. the transposition, Sina before Agar, seemeth to be the faulte of the Printer, rather than of the translator.

MART. 20. Let these and the like be small negligences or ignorances, such as you will pardon vsus also, if you finde the like. Neither do we greatly mislike, that you leaue those wordes,11Deut. 33.Deut 33 Vrim and Thummim, and**4. Reg. 23. Chemarim, and22Ierem. 50.Jer 50 Ziims, and Iims, vntranslated, because it is not easie to expresse them in English: and we would hauehave liked as wel in certaine other words, which you hauehave translated, images, images, and stil, images, Hamanim. Esa. 17. Gillulim. Ier. 50. Miphlet seth. 3. …o. 15.Isa 17Jer 50being as hard to expresse the true signification of them, as the former. And we hope you will the rather beare with the late Catholike translation of the English Testament, that leaueth also certaine wordes vntranslated, not only because they can not be expressed, but also for reuerence and religion (as S. Augustine saith) and greater maiestie of the same.

FVLK. 20. Some in deede are small faultes, some none at al. That you mislike vsus not, for not translating a few words, whose signification is vnknowen, or else they can not be aptly expressed in the English tongue, it is of p. 528no equitie towardes vsus, but that you might vnderunder that shadowe, creepe away with so huge a multitude of wordes, which may as well be translated, as any in the Bible, and that in the new Testament, which is scarse the sixte parte of the whole Bible. The wordes which wee hauehave translated Images, are out of question termes signifying Images, and of your translator, they be called eyther imagines, simulachra, sculptilia, Idola, &c. Our English tongue, being not so fruitefull of wordes, we call them sometimes Idols, sometimes Images, which when we speake of worshipped images, can be none other, but such as you call Idols. To obscure such a multitude of words, & so much matter by them, as you do, S. Augustine wil not warrant you, who speaketh only of two, or three words vsually receiued in the Latine Church in his time, not of such a number as you hauehave counterfaited.

MART. 21. Of one thing we can by no meanes excuse you, but it must sauour vanitie, or noueltie, or both. As when you affectate newe strange wordes which the people are not acquainted with all, but it is rather Hebrue to them than English:Fib. 1579. foreign, as Demosthenes speaketh, vttering withDemosth. great countenance and maiestie, Against him came vp Nabucadnezzar king of Babel, 2. Par. 36. v. 6. for, Nabuchodonosor2. Par. 36. r. 6. c. 32. Fol. 172. 173. Fol. 160. Epistle to the Queene.2 Chr 36 king of Babylon: Saneherib, for Sennacherib: Michaiahs prophecie, for Michaeas: Iehoshaphats prayer, for Iosaphats: Vzza slaine, for Oza. When Zerubbabel went about to builde the Temple, for Zorobabel: Remember what the Lorde did to Miriam, for Marie, Deut. 34. And in your first translation, Elisa for Elisaeus, Pekahia andBibl. 1562. 4. Reg. c. 15. 16. Pekah for Phaceia and Phacee, Vziahu for Ozias, Thiglath-peleser for Teglath-phalasar, Ahaziahu for Ochozias: Peka the sonne of Remaliahu, for, Phacee the sonne of Romelia. And why say you not as wel Shelomoh for Salomon, and Coresh for Cyrus, and so alter eueryevery word frō the knowen sound & pronunciatiō thereof? Is this to teach the people, whē you speake Hebrue rather than English? Were it a good. …y hearing (thinke you) to say for IESVS, Ieshuah, and for p. 529MARIE his mother, Miriam: and for Messias, Messiach, and Iohn, Iachannan, and such like mōstrous nouelties? which you might aswel do, and the people wold vnderstand you as wel, as when our preachers say, Nabucadnezer King of Babel.Cal…i….

FVLK. 21. Seing the moste of the proper names of the olde Testament were vnknowne to the people, before the Scripture was read in Englishe, it was beste to vtter them according to the truth of their pronuntiation in Hebrewe, rather than after the common corruption, which they had receiued in the Greke and Latin tongs. But as for those names which were known vntounto the people out of the new Testamēt, as Iesus, Iohn Marie, &c. it had bin follie to hauehave taught mē to soūd thē otherwise than after the Greke declination, in which we find them.Prafat. in Esa.

MART. 22. When Zuinglius your greate Patriarke did reade in Munsters translation of the old Testamēt, Iehizkiabu, Iehezchel, Choresh, Darianesch, Beltzezzer, and the like, for, Ezechias, Ezechiel, Cyrus, Darius, Baltasar: he called them barbarous voices, and vnciuil speaches, and saide, the worde of God was soiled and depraued by them. Know you not, that proper names alter and change, and are written and sounded in euerie language diuersly? Might not al antiquitie, and the generall custome, both of reading and hearing the knowen names of Nabuchodonosor, and Michaeas, and Ozias, suffice you, but you must needes inuent other which the people neuer heard, rather for vaine ostentation, to amase and astonish them, than to edification and instruction Which is an olde hereticall fashion, noted by Eusebius, lib 4. c. 10. and by the author of the vnperfect commentaries vponupon S. Mathew, ho. 44. and by S. Augustine, lib. 3. c. 26. contra Cresconium.

FVLK. 22. That Zuinglius is no Patriarke of ours, you may knowe by this, that we doe freely dissent from him, when we are perswaded that he dissenteth from the truth. But where you charge vsus, with an hereticall fashion in sounding Hebrew names, according to the truth of the Hebrew tongue if your authors be well weyed, they will conuince you of an hereticall fashion, in framing of p. 530new wordes, which are more apt to amase and astonishe men, than to instruct or edifie them: and in vsing straūg language in all your Church seruice, and in that also diuerse Hebrew wordes. So did the Marcosians, of whome Eusebius out of Irenaeus writeth in baptising. And the author of the vnperfect worke vppon Mathew, though him selfe an Heretike, yet truly sayth of heretike Priests, as you are, in the homily by you quoted, Sic & modo haeretici Sacerdotes, &c. Euen so the Heretike Priestes shut vp the gate of truth. For they knowe that if the truth were made manifest, their Church should be forsaken, &c. For which cause, vntill this tyme, you hauehave bene vtter enimies to the translation of the Scripture. But nowe you see you can not preuaile against the translation, you hauehave begunne so to translate the Scripture, as in many thinges it were as good not translated, for any thing the people shall vnderstande by it. For you hauehave not explicated the fourth parte of the fayned inkehorne termes that you hauehave vsed. And that Saint Augustine sayth, Cresconius went fondly about to terrifie him, with the Greeke word Anti…athegoria, you doe the like with Parasceue, Azymes, scandals, Neophyte, yea with Latine wordes, gratis, depositum, and such like, seeke to bring the ignorant in great admiration of your deepe knowledge, which is nothing els, but an hereticall fashion, vnderunder strange termes, to hide the poison of your pestilent doctrine.

MART. 23. What shal I speake of your affectation ofIehouah. foreign the worde Iehôua (for so it pleaseth you to accent it) in steede of Dominus, the Lord: whereas the auntient fathers in the verie Hebrewe texte did reade and sounde it rather Adonai, as appeareth both by S. Hieromes translation, and also his commentaries, and I woulde knowe of them the reason, why in the Hebrewe Bible, whensoeuer this word is ioined with Adonai, it is to be read Elohim, but only for auoiding Adonai, twice togither. This I say wee might iustly demaunde of these that take a pride in vsing this word Iehôua, so ofte, both in Englishe and p. 531Latin, though otherwise we are not superstitious, but as occasion serueth, only in the Hebrue text, we pronounce it and reade it Againe we might aske them, why they vse not aswel Elohim in steede of Deus, God: and so of therest, changing al into hebrue, that they may seeme gay fellowes, and the people may wonder as their wonderful and mystical diuinitie.

FVLK. 23. In our Englishe translation, Iehoua is very seldome vsed in other speache, no wise man vseth it oftner, than there is good cause why. And when there is cause, we hauehave no superstition in pronouncing it, as we are not curious in accēting it. Although, perhaps you quarrel at our accent, because you can not discerne betweene time and time. The middle syllable wee knowe to be long, whether it be to be eleuated wee make no question, wee know where the accent is in the Hebrue, but we thinke not that all accents be sharpe, and eleuate that syllable in which they are. It is a great matter, that you demaunde the reason why ioygned to Adonai, it is to bee redde Elohim, you should rather demaunde why it is otherwise pointed, when it is ioygned with Adonai, for being pointed as it is, I see not why it shoulde not bee read according to the vowels, Adonai Iehouih. Many other questions might bee moued, about the names of God, in pronouncing or writing of which we know the Iewes were reuerente, euen to superstition: and therefore in bookes that shoulde come in all mennes handes, made other alterations, than you speake of, and yet retayned in other authenticall copies, the true letters and pointes. If any desire vaine gloriously to vtter his skill in the tongues, when hee should edifie the people, of all them that be wise and learned, he is misliked for so doing.

MART. 24. To conclude, are not your scholers (thinke you) muche bound… vntounto you, for giuing them in steede of Gods blessed worde and his holy Scriptures, such translations, heretical, Iudaical, profane, false, negligent, phantasticall, newe, p. 532naught, monstrous? God open their eyes to see, and mollifie your hartes to repent of all your falshood and treacherie, both that which is manifestly conuinced against you and can not be denied, as also that which may by some shewe of answer be shifted of in the sight of the ignorant, but in your consciences is as manifest as the other.

FVLK. 24. Happy and thrise happy hath our English nation bene, since God hath giuen learned translators, to expresse in our mother tongue the heauenly mysteries of his holy worde, deliuered to his Church in the Hebrew and Greeke languages. Who, although they hauehave in some matters of no importance vntounto saluation, as men bene deceiued: yet hauehave they faithfully deliuered the whole substaunce of the heauenly doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures, without any hereticall translations, or wilfull corruptions. And in the whole Bible among them all hauehave committed as fewe ouersights for any thing that you can bring, and of lesse importance, than you hauehave done onelyonly in the newe Testament. Where beside so many omissions, euen out of your owne vulgar Latine translation, you hauehave taken vponupon you, to alter that you founde in your texte, and translate that, which is onelyonly in the margent, & is redde but in fewe written copies. As for Italia you say A…talia, noted before Heb. 13. for placuerunt you translate latuerunt, 2. Pet.2. for coinquinationis which is in the text, you translate coinquinationes, which was founde but in one onelyonly copie, by Hentenius, as the other but in one or two of thirtie diuerse copies, most written.

FINIS.