Royal MS 1 A XII

I A. xii NEW TESTAMENT, in English, of the revised Wycliffite version (cf i A. iv, i A. x); with the usual prologues. NO. 3 in Forshall and Madden's list, i, p. xxxix. The book of 'the dedis of Apostlis' is placed between the Pauline and Catholic Epistles. No table of lections is prefixed, but their beginnings and endings are noted in the margins. Vellum; ff. 242. 8 1/8t in. x 5 ¾ in. First half XV cent. Gatherings of 8 leaves, with catchwords. The leaves in the penultimate quire (ff. 228-235) are wrongly bound, as noted in pencil at the foot of each. Double columns. Sec. fol.'God wiþ us'. Initials of books in gold on backgrounds of red and blue, with marginal foliation; initials of chapters in blue, with red filigree work. Binding of blue velvet (late i6th cent. ? ), formerly having a metal centre-piece (a rose surrounded by tour fleurs-de-lis) and' fleur-de-lis corner-pieces and clasps, faint impressions of which still remain; gilt gauffered edges. The MS. was presented to Queen Elizabeth as a new-year's gift by her chaplain, fohn Bridges [Dean of Salisbury 1577, Bishop of Oxford 1604, d. 1618], whose letter prefixed (ff. 2, 3) includes the following passages:-

Among all the riche and freshe newyeres giftes presented unto your Maiestie at this tyme (Moste Gratious Soueraigne) the richest I can offer in my opinion and habilitie; and I hope also in your Maiesties iudgement and acceptacion, is this book. . . For first hereby may be seene as it were an auncient president, for warrantise of your Maiesties doing, that it is not new and neuer hard of before this age (as some dare auouche) that the woord of God shoulde be translated into our mother tongue, for howsoeuer the aduersaries haue of late suppressed it, yet we see by this and diuerse other the lyke that in former ages they were not so malicious-but that it was both translated and permitted. And withall, wheras they crye so often uppon us, where was our churche tyll within this fyftye yeres ? we see that God had his churche in all ages, and that in the tyme of grossest idolatrye and darkest ignorance ther were still soom, yea euen among the laye people, that bowed not their knees to Baal, but had the lighte of the gospell like a candle (as Peter sayth) shyning in a darke place vnto them vntill the morning starr and broade day light appered in their hartes, as, God Moreouer by the conference of this translation which was then with oures now may easely be tryed whether they iustly burden us with false translating, yea or no; for although they fynde the wordes to differ, yet perceauing the sence to be the same it is but their cauil of diuersitie. Yea we shall fynde it trew, that S. Hierome in the defence of his translation writeth to S. Aug., that euen the uarietye of translations bredeth not so much offence and hyndrance as it more commendeth and lightneth the truth of the text. And yet if ther shall appere any difference materiall, it is the more pardonable in this coppie, that foloweth ad verbum the old latyn translation, at what tyme Baldus was fayne to confesse, Græcum cat, non potest legi, so that they knew none better to translate it by. To conclude, if ibe reading of Gowers or Chawcers olde Inglish geue so great a delectation for the antiquitie in profane matters, what greater reuerence and pleasure should it moue to read our auncient fathers Inglish on the scripture? Wherein although manic termes then ordinary be now out of vse, or grown into another sence (for example, the soldiers that parted Christes garments, Jo. 19 , this translator calleth knights, and whome we call a man-chylde he calleth a kntaue-chylde, Apocal. 12, and a number of such other termes), yet, considering the tymes, this is not so harsh and offensiue to the care, as it more delighteth us to see the deriuation of such wordes and what perfection our Inglish tongue is now growen vnto from the rudenes and simplicitie of our former speeche. But howsoever the termes seeme, they are apte short, plaine, and sententious, which is the odd prerogatiue of antiquitie; especially the prefaces haue a singuler grace for the brevity, pithines and perspicuitie of the Arguments....