This BIBLICAL ARCHIVES offer is of ONE original leaf recovered from the 1657 London Polyglot, DM1446. Each original leaf comes with a certificate of Historicity. Measurements: 17 1/2" x 11 3/8". Location: 4.8c
 
The fourth and latest of the great Polyglot Bibles; known as the London, or Walton's Polyglot. Though less sumptuously printed than the Antwerp and Paris Bibles, this is the most accurate and best-equipped of the great Polyglots. Ethiopia and Persian are the languages here added.
 
Edited by Dr. Brian Walton, who was consecrated Bishop of Chester in 1660.
 
Brian Walton (1600 -1661) was educated at Magdalene College and Peterhouse, Cambridge. For thirteen years he was incumbent of St. Martin's Orgar, London, and also for a time (1636-41) of Sandon, Essex. Ejected from his livings in 1641, he suffered imprisonment in 1642; and subsequently studied Oriental languages at Oxford. In 1647 he drew up a scheme for publishing an improved Polyglot Bible. The proposal was favourably received; and having secured the approval of the Bishops of London, Ely, Salisbury, Rochester, Lincoln and Exeter, in 1652 he invited subscriptions for the forthcoming Bible, and entrusted the funds to the management of a worthy London citizen, William Humble. This polyglot Bible was one of the earliest publications printed by subscription in England.
 
THE EDITORS: Among the eminent scholars who assisted with their advice or co-operation, Walton names the following in his preface :J. Ussher (Abp. of Armagh), W. Fuller (Dean of Durham), G. Sheldon (afterwards Abp. of Canterbury), B. Ryves (Dean of Chichester), R. Sanderson (Ptegius Professor of Divinity at Oxford, afterwards Bp. of Lincoln), R. Sterne (afterwards Abp. of York), S. Baker (Prebendary of Canterbury), H. Harriinond (see note on No. 501), H. Ferne (afterwards Bp. of Chester), H. Thorndike (formerly Hebrew Lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge), J. Johnson (of the Temple), R. Drake (of Pembroke College, Cambridge), A. Wheelocke (Arabic Professor and University Librarian, Cambridge), E. Pocoeke (Professor of Arabic and Hebrew at Oxford), J. Greaves (formerly Arabic Professor at Oxford), and T. Smith (of Christ's College, Cambridge). The following are mentioned as having been actively employed by Walton in collating MSS., editing the texts, etc. :E. Castell (author of the Lexicon Heptaglotton (see below and Arabic Professor at Cambridge), A. Hiiish (Prebendary of Wells), S. Clarke (of Merton College, Oxford), T. Hyde (afterwards Bodley's Librarian, Arabic Professor, and Regius Professor of Hebrew, at Oxford), and D. Loftus (Irish jurist and Orientalist). The names of other contributors are given elsewhere :L. Cappel (Hebrew Professor at Saumur), E. Brerewood (Gresham Professor of Astronomy), J. Bonfreriils, J. Lightfoot (Master of St. Catherine's College, Cambridge), P. Young, T. Greaves, WY Norris, T. Pierce, etc.
THE DATE: The printing began in 1653, and in the following year vol. 1 was completed. Vol. 2 is dated 1655; vol. 3, 1656; and vols. 4 and 5, 1657. The title to vol. 6 is dated 1657; but, since one of the pieces in this volume (the Verses placed after the collations of the Septuagint) is dated Jan. 1657, this last volume must have been finished early in 1658. The whole Bible was published apparently in the same year, though some copies were not issued till after the Restoration, 29 May 1660.
 
THE ARRANGEMENT: Vols. 1-3 contain the texts of the O. T. (without the Apocrypha) printed in columns arranged across two pages-(i) the Hebrew text, with an interlinear Latin translation'S. Pagninus' version, revised by B. Arias Montanus and others; (ii) the Latin Vulgate, following the Clementine text; (iii) the Greek Septuagint with a parallel Latin translation, both printed from the second edition (1628) of the authorised Roman text (at the foot of the Greek column are given the variant readings of Codex Alexandrinus); (iv) the Chaldee Paraphrase, following the Basel edition of 1618,19, with a Latin translation; (v) the Syriac version, with a Latin translation; and (vi) the Arabic version, with a Latin translation. In the Pentateuch there are added the Samaritan-Hebrew and the Samaritan Targum; one Latin translation serves for both, but where the latter differs from the former the Latin equivalent of the variation is given at the foot of the column. There is no Chaldee text of 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, or Daniel; and no Arabic text of Esther. In the Psalter and the Song of Solomon the Ethiopic version is added; for this no separate Latin translation is provided, but where the Ethiopic differs from the Greek the Latin equivalent of the variation is given at the foot of the Latin translation of the Septuagint. Darlow & Moule Catalogue 1446