A discouerie of the manifold corruptions of the Holy Scriptures by the heretikes of our daies specially the English sectaries, and of their foule dealing herein, by partial & false translations to the aduantage of their heresies, in their English Bibles vsed and authorised since the time of schisme. By Gregory Martin one of the readers of diuinitie in the English College of Rhemes.

About this Item

Title
A discouerie of the manifold corruptions of the Holy Scriptures by the heretikes of our daies specially the English sectaries, and of their foule dealing herein, by partial & false translations to the aduantage of their heresies, in their English Bibles vsed and authorised since the time of schisme. By Gregory Martin one of the readers of diuinitie in the English College of Rhemes.
Author
Martin, Gregory, d. 1582.
Publication
Printed at Rhemes :: By Iohn Fogny,
1582.
Rights/Permissions

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.

Subject terms
Bible -- Versions -- Catholic vs. Protestant -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A07100.0001.001
Cite this Item
"A discouerie of the manifold corruptions of the Holy Scriptures by the heretikes of our daies specially the English sectaries, and of their foule dealing herein, by partial & false translations to the aduantage of their heresies, in their English Bibles vsed and authorised since the time of schisme. By Gregory Martin one of the readers of diuinitie in the English College of Rhemes." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A07100.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 8, 2024.

Pages

CHAP. XXII. Other faultes Iudaical, prophane, mere vanities, follies & nouelties.

1 NOvv leauing matters of cō∣trouersie, let vs talke a litle vvith you familiarly, and learne of you the reason of other points in your transla∣tion, vvhich to vs seeme faultes, and sa∣uour not of that spirit vvhich should be in Christian Catholike translators.

2 First, you are so profane, that you say, The ballet of ballets of Salomon, so terming that diuine booke Canticum Canticorum, conteining the high mysterie of Christ & his Church, as if it vvere a ballet of loue betvvene Sa∣lomon

Page 307

and his cōcubine, as Castaleo vvan∣tonly translateth it. But you say more pro∣fanely thus, vve haue conceiued, vve haue borne in paine, as though vve should haue brought forth vvinde. I am ashamed to tel the literal commenta∣rie of this your translation.* 1.1 Vvhy might you not haue said, Vve haue conceiued and as it vvere trauailed to bring forth, and haue brought forth the spirit? is there any thing in the He∣brue to hinder you thus far? Vvhy vvould you say, vvinde, rather then, spirit: knovving that the Septuaginta in Greeke, & the aun∣cient fathers, and S. Hierom him self vvho trāslateth according to the Hebrue,* 1.2 yet for sense of the place, al expound it both ac∣cording to Hebrue & Greeke, of the spirit of God, vvhich is first cōceiued in vs & be∣ginneth by feate, vvhich the Scripture cal∣leth the beginning of vvisedom. in so much that in the Greeke there are these goodly vvordes, famous in al antiquitie: Through the feare of the ô Lord vve cōceiued and haue trauailea vvith paine, and haue brought forth the spirit of thy saluation, vvhich thou hast made upon the earth. Which doth ex∣cellently set before our eies the degrees of a faithful mans increase and proceding in the spirit of God, vvhich beginneth by the feare of his iudgements, & is a good feare, though seruile, and not sufficient. & it may be that you condemning vvith Luther this

Page 308

seruile feare as euil and hurtful, meane also some such thing by your translation. But in deede the place may be vnderstood of the other feare also, which hath his degrees more or lesse.

3 But to say, vve haue brought forth vvinde, can admit no such interpretation. but euen as if a mere Ievv should translate or vnder∣stand it, vvho hath no sense of Gods spirit, so haue you excluded the true sense vvhich cōcerneth the Holy Ghost, & not the cold terme of vvinde, and vvhatsoeuer naked interpretation thereof. And it is your fa∣shion in al such cases, where the richer sense is of Gods holy spirit, there to translate vvinde, as Ps. 147. v. 18. as you number the psalmes.

4 And it is not vnlike to this, that you vvil not translate for the Angels honour that caried Abacuc, He sette him into Babylon, ouer the lake by the force of his spirit:* 1.3 but thus, through a mightie vvinde: so attributing it to the vvinde, not to the Angels povver, and omitting cleane the Greeke pronovvne 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his, vvhich shevveth euidently that it vvas the Angels spirit, force, and povver.

5 Againe, vvhere the Prophets speake most manifestly of Christ, there you trans∣late cleane an other thing: as Esa. 30. v. 20. Vvhen S. Hierom translateth thus,* 1.4 and the

Page 309

Church hath alvvaies read accordingly, Non faciet auolare ate vltra Doctorem tuum: & erunt oculi tui videntes praeceptorem tuum. that is,* 1.5 And (our Lord) shal not cause thy Doctor to flie from thee any more: and thine eies shal see thy Maister. Vvhich is al one in effect vvith that vvhich Christ saith, I vvil be vvith you vnto the end of the vvorld: there you translate thus, Thy raine shal be no more kept backe: but thine eies shal see thy raine. So likevvise Ioel 2. v. 23. where the holy church readeth, Reioyce ye children of Sion in the Lord your God: because he hath giuen you the Doctor of iustice: there you translate, the raine of righteousnes.* 1.6 Doth the He∣brue vvord force you to this? you knovv that it signifieth a teacher or Maister. and therfore the Ievves them selues,* 1.7 partly vn∣derstand it of Esdras, partly of Christs Diui∣nitie. Vvhy are you more profane (I vvil not say more Iudaical) then the Iewes them selues? vvhy might not S. Hierom a Chri∣stian Doctor and lacking no skil in the Hebrue (as you vvel knovv) satisfie you, vvho maketh no doubt but the Hebrue in these places is, Doctor, Maister, teacher? Vvho also (in Psal. 84, 7:) translateth thus, Vvith blessings shal the Doctor be araied: meaning Christ. Where you vvith the later Rabbines the enemies of Christ translate, The raine couereth the pooles. Vvhat cold stuff is this in respect of that other translation so cleerely pointing to Christ our Maister and Doctor?

Page 310

6 And againe, vvhere S. Hierom trans∣lateth, and the Church readeth, and al the fathers interpret and expound accordingly,* 1.8 There shal be faith in thy times: to expresse the maruelous faith that shal be then, in the first Christians specially, euen vnto death, and in al the rest concerning the hidden mysteries of the nevv Testament: there you translate, There shal be stabilitie of thy times. The Prophet ioyneth together there, iudgemēt, iustice, faith, vvisedom, knovvledge, the feare of our Lord: you for a litle ambiguitie of the Hebrue vvord, turne faith into sta∣bilitie.

7 If I should burden you vvith trans∣lating thus also concerning Christ,* 1.9 Cease from the man vvhose breath in his nostrels: for vvherein is he to be esteemed? You vvould say I did you wrong, because it is so pointed novv in the Hebrue. Vvhereas you knovv very vvell by S. Hie∣roms commentarie vpon that place,* 1.10 that this is the Iewes pointing or reading of the vvord, against the honour of Christ: the true reading and translation being as he in∣terpreteth it, for he is reputed high: and therfore bevvare of him. Othervvise (as S. Hierom saith) vvhat a consequence vvere this, or vvho vvould commend any man thus, Take heede ye offend not him, vvho is nothing esteemed? yet that is your translation. Neither doth

Page 311

the Greeke helpe you vvhich (if the accent be truely put) is thus,* 1.11 because he is reputed for some body or some thing: as S. Paul speaketh of the cheefe Apostles, and it is our phrase in the commendation of a man.

8 The like excuse you vvould haue by alleaging the Hebrue vovvels, if you vvere told that you much obscure a notable saying of the prophet concerning Christ, or rather the speache of Christ him self by his prophet, saying: I haue spoken by the Prophets,* 1.12 and I haue multiplied vision, & in the hand of the Prophets (that is, by the Prophets) haue I been resembled. Vvhich later vvordes doe excedingly ex∣presse, that al the Prophets spake of Christ: as our Sauiour him self declareth,* 1.13 beginning from Moyses and al the Prophets to interpret vnto the tvvo disciples, the things that concerned him. and as S. Peter saith in these vvordes, Al the Prophets from Sa∣muel and that spake after him, did tel of these daies. This prophecie then being so consonant to these speaches of the nevv Testament, the Greeke also being vvord for vvord so,* 1.14 the Hebrue by chāging one litle pricke (vvhich the later Ievves haue added at their ovvne pleasure) being fully so as vve read vvith the Catholike Church: vvhy pretend you the Ievves authoritie to mainteine an other lesse Christian translation, vvhich is thus: I vse similitudes by the ministerie of the Prophets. as

Page 312

though there vvere nothing there concer∣ning Christ or the second person pecu∣liarly?

9 You vvil also perhaps alleage not only the later levves, but also some later Catho∣like men that so translate the Hebrue.* 1.15 But the difference betvvene them and you, is, that they, vvith reuerence and preferment alvvaies of S. Hieroms and the Churches auncient translation, tel vs hovv it is novv in the Hebrue: you, vvith derogation and disanulling the same altogether, set dovvne your ovvne as the only true interpretation according to the Hebrue: auouching the Hebrue that novv is, and as novv it is prin∣ted, to be the only authentical truth of the old Testament. Vvhere you can neuer ansvver vs, hovv that in the Psalme 22, As a lion my hand and my feete (as novv it is in the Hebrue) can be the true and old authenti∣cal Hebrue,* 1.16 vvhich none of the fathers knevv, the auncient Rabbines condemne as a corruption, your selues translate it not, but after the old accustomed reading, They haue pearced my handes and my feete Vvhich is a no∣table prophecie of our Sauiours kinde and maner of Passion, being crucified on the Crosse. Only the later Ievves, and such He∣retikes as thinke he died vpon a gallous or gibbet, and not vpon the Crosse, they like

Page 313

this Hebrue text vvel, and stand vpon it, as you do vpon al vvithout exception, & yet vvhen it commeth to certaine particulars, you are cōpelled to forsake it. as in certaine other places, for example.

* 1.1710 Vvhere the Hebrue saith, Achaz king of Israel, 2 Paralip. 28. v. 19. which is not true, you are compelled to translate, Achaz king of Iuda, as the truth is, and as it is in the Greeke and the vulgar Latin. yet ** 1.18 some of your Bibles folovv the fals hod of the Hebrue.

11 Likevvise, vvhere the Hebrue saith, Zedecias his brother, meaning the brother of Ioachin, you trāslate, Zedecias his fathers brother,* 1.19 as in deede the truth is, according to the Greeke, and to the Scripture 4 Reg. 24. v. 19. and therfore your Bible vvhich fo∣lovveth the Hebrue here also, translating, his brother, yet in the margent putteth dovvne as more true, vncle.

12 Likevvise in an other place, the He∣brue is so out of frame, that some of your Bibles say, he begat Azuba of his vvife Azuba. and othersome translate, he begat Ierioth of his vvife Azuba: the Hebrue being thus, he begat Azuba his vvife and Ierioth, vvhich neither you nor any man els can easily tel vvhat to make of. Thus you see hovv easie it vvere (if a man vvould multiplie such examples) to shevv by your ovvne testimonies the corruption

Page 314

of the Hebrue,* 1.20 and that your selues do not, nor dare not exactly folovv it, as of the Greeke text of the nevv Testament also is declared els vvhere.

13 But it is greater maruel, vvhy you folovv not the Hebrue in other places also, vvhere is no corruption. You protest to translate it according to the pointes or vovvels that novv it hath, and that you call the Hebrue veritie. Tel me then I beseeche you, vvhy do you in al your Bibles translate thus, O Virgin daughter of Sion, he hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorne:* 1.21 ô daughter of Hierusalem he hath shaken his head at thee. In the Hebrue, Greeke,* 1.22 S. Hieroms translation and com∣mentarie, it is cleane contrarie, The Virgin daughter of Sion hath despised thee (ô Assur:) the daughter of Hierusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Al are the foeminine gender, and spoken of Sion lite∣rally, and of the Church spiritually trium∣phing ouer Assur and al her enemies:* 1.23 you trāslate al as of the masculine gēder, & apply it to Assur insulting against Hierusalem. &c. I can not conceiue vvhat this translation meaneth, & I vvould gladly know the rea∣son, & I vvould haue thought it some grosse ouersight, but that I finde it so in al your English Bibles, & not only in this place of Esay, but also in the bookes of the kinges, 4 Reg. 19. where the same wordes are repeated. And it is no lesse maruel vnto vs that

Page 315

knovv not the reason of your doings, vvhy you hauec 1.24 left out Alleluia nine times in the sixe last Psalmes,* 1.25 being in the Hebrue nine times more then in your translation: spe∣cially vvhen you knovv that it is the aun∣cient and ioyful song of the primitiue Church. See the nevv English Testament, Annot. Apoc. 19.

14 Againe, you translate thus: Many vvhich had seen the first house, vvhen the foundation of this house vvas laid before their eies, vvept &c. Looke vvel to your Hebrue, and you shal finde it accor∣ding both to the Greeke & the Latin, thus: Many vvhich had seen the first house in the foundation thereof (that is, yet standing vpon the foūda∣tion, not destroied) and this temple before their eies, vvept. You imagined that it should be meant, they savv Salomons temple, vvhen it vvas first founded, vvhich because it vvas vnpossible, therfore you translated other∣vvise then is in the Hebrue, Greeke, and Latin. But yet in some of your Bibles you should haue considered the matter better,* 1.26 and translated accordingly.

15 And surely vvhy you should trans∣late (4 Reg. 23. v. 13.) On the right hand of mount Oliuete, rather then as it is in the vulgar La∣tin: and why, Ye abiect of the Gentiles, Esa. 45. v. 20. rather then, ye that are saued of the Gentiles: you belike knovv some reason, vve do not, nei∣ther

Page 316

by the Hebrue nor the Greeke.

16 Howbeit in these lesser things (though nothing in the Scripture is to be counted litle) you might perhaps more freely haue taken your pleasure, in folovving neither Hebrue nor Greeke: but vvhen it cōcerneth a matter no lesse then vsurie, there by your false translation to giue occasion vnto the reader, to be an vsurer, is no smal fault ei∣ther against true religion or against good maners.* 1.27 This you doe most euidently in your most authentical translations, saying thus: Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie of mo∣ney, nor by vsurie of corne, nor by vsurie of any thing that he may be hurt vvithal. What is this to say, but that vsurie is not here forbidden, vnles it hurt the partie that borovveth, vvhich is so rooted in most mēs hartes,* 1.28 that they thinke such vsurie very lavvful, and daily offend mortally that vvay. Vvhere almightie God in this place of holy Scripture hath not a vvord of hurting or not hurting (as may be seen by the Geneua bibles) but saith simply thus: Thou shalt not lend to thy brother to vsurie, vsurie of money, vsurie of meate, vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie.

17 Marke the Hebrue and the Greeke, and see, and be ashamed, that you straine and peruert it, to say for, Non foenerabis fratri tuo, vvhich is vvord for vvord in the Greeke and Hebrue, Thou shalt not hurt thy brother by

Page 317

vsurie. If the Hebrue vvord in the vse of holy Scripture do signifie, to hurt by vsurie, why do you in the very next vvordes folowing, in the self same Bibles translate it thus,* 1.29 vnto astranger thou maist lend vpon vsurie, but not vnto thy brother? Vvhy said you not, A stranger thou ma∣ist hurt vvith vsurie, but not thy brother? Is it not al one vvord and phrase here and before? And if you had so translated it here also, the Ievves vvould haue thanked you, vvho by forcing the Hebrue vvord as you doe, thinke it very good to hurt any stranger, that is, any Christian by any vsurie be it neuer so great.

18 Vvhat shal I tel you of other faultes, vvhich I vvould gladly accoūt ouersightes or ignorances, such as vve also desire par∣don of, but al are not such, though some be. As, Tvvo thousand,* 1.30 (vvritten at length) to them that keepe the fruite thereof. In the Hebrue & Greeke, tvvo hundred. Againe in the same booke c. 1. v. 4. As the fruites of Cedar. in the Hebr. and Greeke. tabernacles. And,* 1.31 Aske a signe either in the depth or in the height aboue, for, in the depth of Hel. And, Great vvorkes are vvrought by him.* 1.32 for, do vvorke in him, as S. Paul vseth the same vvord 2 Cor. 4. v. 12. And,* 1.33 To make ready an horse. Act. 23. v. 24. in the Greeke, beastes, And,* 1.34 If a man on the Sabboth day receiue circumcision vvithout breaking of the lavv of Moyses. Io. 7. v. 23. For,* 1.35 to the end that the lavv of Moyses be not broken. And, The

Page 318

sonne of man must suffer many things,* 1.36 and be reproued of the elders. Mar. 8. v. 31. For, be reiected, as in the psalme, The stone vvhich the builders reiected, vve say not, reprouing of the said stone, vvhich is Christ.* 1.37 And, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a yong scholer, in al your trāslatiōs, falsely. And, Simo of Chanaan or Simon the Cananite,* 1.38 vvho is called otherwise, Ze∣lótes, that is Zelous, as an interpretation of the Hebrue vvord, Cananaeus: vvhich I maruel you cōsidered not, specially cōsidering that the Hebrue vvord for Zelous,* 1.39 & the other for a Cananite, beginne with diuers letters. and,* 1.40 lest at any time vve should let them slippe. for, lest vve slippe or runne by, and so be lost.

19 And as for the first bible,* 1.41 vvhich vvas done in hast, and not yet corrected, but is printed still a fresh:* 1.42 that saith, Vvith Herods ser∣uants, as though that vvere the only sense: that calleth idiotas lay men:a 1.43 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a ship:b 1.44 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vvondering:c 1.45 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are gone out:* 1.46 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his substance: and, To knovv the excellent loue of the knovvledge of Christ. For, the loue of Christ that excelleth knovvledge. And, of men that turne avvay the truth.* 1.47 For, that shunne the truth and turne avvay from it. And, Mount Sina is Agar in Ara∣bia. For, Agar is Mount Sina. &c.

20 Let these and the like be smal negli∣gences or ignorances, such as you vvil par∣don vs also, if you finde the like. Neither do vve greatly mislike, that you leaue these

Page 319

vvordes,a 1.48 Vrim and Thummim andb 1.49 Chemarim and c Ziims, & Iims, vntranslated,* 1.50 because it is not easy to expresse them in English: and vve vvould haue liked it as vvel in certaine other vvordes, vvhich you haue translated, images, images, and stil, images,* 1.51 being as hard to expresse the true signification of them, as the former. And vve hope you vvil the rather beare vvith the late Catholike trans∣latiō of the English Testamēt, that leaueth also certaine vvordes vntrāslated, not only because they can not be expressed, but also for reuerence and religion (as S. Augustine saith) and greater maiestie of the same.

21 Of one thing vve can by no meanes excuse you, but it must sauour vanitie, or noueltie, or both. As vvhen you affectate nevv strange vvordes vvhich the people are not acquainted vvithal, but it is rather Hebrue to them then English:* 1.52 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Demosthenes speaketh,* 1.53 vttering vvith great countenāce and maiestie, Against him came vp Nabucadnezzar king of Babel,* 1.54 2 Par. 36. v. 6. for, Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon: Saneherib,* 1.55 for Sennacherib: Michaiahs prophecie, for Michaeas: Ichoshaphats praier, for Iosaphats: Vzza slaine, for Oza. Vvhen Zerubbabel vvent about to build the Temple, for Zorobabel: Remēber what the Lord did to Miriā, for Marie, Deut. 34.* 1.56 And in your first trās∣latiō, Elisa for Elisaeus, Pekahia & Pekah for Phaceia & Phacee, Vziahu for Ozias,* 1.57 Thiglath-peleser for Teglath

Page 320

phalasar, Ahaziahu for Ochozias: Peka the sonne of Remaliabu, for, Phacee the sonne of Romelia. And vvhy say you not as vvel Shelomoh for Salomon, and Coresh for Cyrus, and so alter euery vvord from the knovven sound and pronuncia∣tion thereof? Is this to teach the people, vvhen you speake Hebrue rather then En∣glish? Vvere it a goodly hearing (thinke you) to say for IESVS, Ieshuah, and for MARIE his mother, Miriam: and for Mes∣sias Meshiach, and for Iohn, Iachannan, and such like monstruous nouelties? vvhich you might as vvel doe, and the people vvould vnderstand you as vvel, as when your prea∣chers say,* 1.58 Nabucadnezer king of Bábel.

22 Vvhen Zuinglius your great Patriarke did reade in Munsters translation of the old Testamēt,* 1.59 Iehizkiahu, Iehezchel, Cho∣resh, Darianesch, Beltzezzer, and the like. for, Ezechias, Ezechiel, Cyrus, Darius, Bal∣tasar: he called them barbarous voices, & vnciuil speaches, & said the vvord of God vvas soiled and depraued by them. Knovv you not that proper names alter & chaūge, and are vvritten and sounded in euery lan∣guage diuersely? Might not al antiquitie & the general custom both of reading and hearing the knovven names of Nabucho∣donosor, and Michaeas, and Ozias, suffice you, but you must needes inuent other

Page 311

vvhich the people neuer heard, rather for vaine ostentation to amase and astonish them, then to edification and instruction. Vvhich is an old Heretical fashion, noted by Eusebius lib. 4. c. 10: and by the author of the vnperfect cōmentaries vpon S. Mat∣thevv, ho. 44: and by S. Augustine lib. 3. c. 26. contra Cresconium.

23 Vvhat shal I speake of your affecta∣tion of the vvord Iehôua (for so it pleaseth you to accent it) in steede of Dominus,* 1.60 The Lord: vvhereas the auncient fathers in the very Hebrue text did read and sound it ra∣ther, Adonai, as appeareth both by S. Hie∣roms translation and also his commētaries, and I vvould knovv of them the reason, vvhy in the Hebrue Bible, vvhen so euer this vvord is ioyned vvith Adonai, it is to be read Elohim, but only for auoiding Adonai, tvvise together. This I say vve might iustly demaund of these that take a pride in vsing this vvord Iehôua so oft both in English & Latin: though otherwise we are not super∣stitious, but as occasion serueth, only in the Hebrue text vve pronounce it and reade it. Againe vve might aske them, vvhy they vse not as vvel Elohim in steede of Deus, God: and so of the rest, changing al into Hebrue, that they may seeme gay fellovves, and the people may vvonder at their vvonderful

Page 322

and mystical diuinitie.

24 To conclude, are not your scholers (thinke you) much bound vnto you, for gi∣uing them in steede of Gods blessed worde and his holy Scriptures, such translations, heretical, Iudaical, profane, false, negligent, phantastical, nevv, naught, monstruous? God open their eies to see, and mollifie your hartes to repent of al your falshod & treacherie, both that vvhich is manifestly conuinced against you and can not be denied, as also that vvhich may by some shevv of ansvver be shifted of in the sight of the ignorant, but in your consciences is as manifest as the other.

Notes

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.