BOK.ENG.AD1760

Book of Common Prayer & King James Bible (1760)

This Bible contains two main parts: The Book of Common Prayer (printed in 1760) and the King James version of the Old Testament, Apocrypha, and New Testament (printed in 1759). Both parts were set apart to be read and used in churches.

The Book of Common Prayer contains various ministerial instructions for church leaders such as a "Calendar, with the Table of Lessons" to be shared in the church, "The Order for the Ministration of the Holy Communion," "The Order of Baptism for those of riper years," etc. This would contain important information for clergy to carry out their callings in a uniform way to the order of the church.

An interesting intersection of church and state occurs in this version of the Common Book of Prayers with prayers of Thanksgiving to be said yearly on specific days for the commemoration of various English royalty. This practice most likely came from the practice of the Church of England of setting the resident royalty of the time as the head of the Church.

This Book of Common Prayer also contains 39 "Articles of Religion" outlining the main beliefs of the Church of England.

The publication of the King James Bible was sponsored by its namesake, King James VI/I (James VI during his rule of Scotland, James I during his rule of England). The KJV has become one of the most widely used Bibles across the world and stands as a standard translation. Forty-seven known individuals were selected for the task of translating the Bible and were “formed into six companies” as follows:

(1) Westminster, Genesis-II Kings
(2) Cambridge, I Chronicles-Ecclesiastes
(3) Oxford, Isaiah-Malachi
(4) Cambridge, Apocrypha
(5) Oxford, Gospels, Acts, Apocalypse
(6) Westminster, Romans-Jude

All of the knowledge of Bible translation, due the the multitude of Bibles which had come before, all came together in these committees to translate the KJV. No marginal notes were added to the Bible, as King “James himself had been annoyed by what he considered seditious comments in the Geneva Bible (Ackroyd).

In addition to his obvious love of scripture, James VI/I was a controversial figure. During his time as a ruler in Scotland, he engaged in a "satanic panic" which resulted in the torture and eventual burning of "about 2,500 people--the vast majority of them women" (The Observer). This crusade against "The feareful abounding at this time in this countrie, of thefe deteftable flames of the diuell" was perpetuated by the book he published in 1603, Dæmonologie (James I).

"James VI -- later James I of England -- became obsessed with witchcraft after the execution of his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, in 1587. He blamed a violent storm when sailing back from Denmark with his new wife, Anne, on evil spells and ordered a vicious witch hunt.Macbeth, thought to be first performed at court in 1606, three years after James became king of England, catered to the new monarch's witch obsession. It was another 130 years before the law was changed and the executions ended" (The Observer).
* * *
Ackroyd, Peter R., C. F Evans, G. W. H. Lampe, and S. L. Greenslade. 1963. The Cambridge History of the Bible. University Press, 1963-70. Vol. 3.

James I, King of England. 1603. Dæmonologie. [Electronic Resource] : In Forme of a Dialogue, Diuided into Three Books: Written by the High and Mightie Prince, Iames by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. Early English Books Online. Printed by Arnold Hatfield for Robert VVald-graue.

The Observer (London, England). 2020. “300 Years on, Will Thousands of Women Burned as Witches Finally Get Justice? Lawyer Seeks Pardon for 2,500 Scots Who Were Tortured and Killed in ‘Satanic Panic’ Begun by James VI; Lawyer Seeks Pardon for 2,500 Scots Who Were Tortured and Killed in ‘Satanic Panic’ Begun by James VI.”

1760 AD

Thomas Baskett

London

England

18th Century

Print

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English

Ex Libris on the back of the front cover: "Frederic Lely, Grantham"

Verso side of second endpage contains handwritten inscription on the top lefthand corner: "Margaret Lely"

Verso side of second endpage contains handwritten inscription:"John Blake [?] from his affectionate Aunt Margaret Lely 9th July 1841"

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Bible

_The Book of Common Prayer, And Administration of the Sacraments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, According to the Ufe of the Church of England: Together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David, Pointed as they are to be fung or faid in Churches (London: Thomas Baskett, 1760)_ and _The Holy Bible, Containing The Old and New Testaments: Newly Tranflated out of the Original Tongues: And with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised, By his Majefty's Special Command. Appointed to be Read in Churches (London: Thomas Baskett, 1760).