The Holy Bible

The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: Newly Translated Out of the Original Tongues: and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised, by His Majesty's Special Command. Appointed to be Read in Churches.
Title page from The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments: Newly Translated Out of the Original Tongues: and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised, by His Majesty's Special Command. Appointed to be Read in Churches., George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.
Author	Church of England
Editor	{{{editor}}}
Translator	{{{trans}}}
Published	Oxford: Printed by Thomas Baskett, printer to the University
Date	1754
Edition	{{{edition}}}
Language	English
Volumes	1 volume set
Pages	{{{pages}}}
Desc.	{{{desc}}}
Location	[[Shelf {{{shelf}}}]]
	[[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]

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The "Authorized Version" of the King James Version Bible was first printed in 1611. The KJV Bible was preceded by the Geneva Bible (and subsequent versions thereof) first printed in 1560, yet relied heavily upon William Tyndale’s “heretical” translations of the Bible first printed in English in 1526. “As a publication in the seventeenth century it was undoubtedly successful: it was heavily used, and it rapidly saw off its chief rival, the three Geneva Bibles, to become the standard British (and American) Bible.” Its popularity continued well into the eighteenth century and beyond. For the first 250 years of the KJV’s history, however, there were many, mostly minor typographical, errors, necessitating numerous re-printings. One such reprinting—the version once belonging to George Wythe—was printed in Oxford in 1754 by Thomas Baskett, son of the king's printer, John Baskett who first starting printing Bibles in London in 1711. Thomas inherited his father's printing house and title as king's printer; he printed Bibles from 1743 until his death in 1761.

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

George Wythe's copy of The Holy Bible is held in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. Martha Jefferson Burke (née Trist, a great granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson) inscribed on the last page of the section "A Commination":

This Bible belonged to George Wythe, bequeathed by him to Thomas Jefferson, given by Thomas Jefferson to his grand-daughter Cornelia Jefferson Randolph, bequeathed by her to her niece Martha Jefferson Trist, given by her to her son, Nicholas Philip Trist Burke, Alexandria, Va., after his death given to the University of Virginia by Martha Jefferson Burke, Alexandria, Va., July 4, 1912.

A newspaper clipping of "A Venerable Old Tree" from The Times (Richmond, VA) for October 28, 1894, was laid in the book by Nicholas Philip Trist Burke (great, great grandson of Thomas Jefferson).

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Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in contemporary, slightly rubbed, black goatskin binding, with ornate floral border rolls gilt on the boards with burgundy morocco oval in the centre with gilt highlighting and IHS gilt. Sometime rebacked with original spine re-laid with added burgundy lettering piece. Contains marbled end-papers with four large folding maps and attractive tail pieces. Purchased from Collectable Books.

View this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

References

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