Jugge's New Testament
Despite commonly bearing the name of its printer, Richard Jugge, this version of the bible is actually a translation by William Tyndale, one of the most prolific and influential Bible translators in his time and since.
This particular edition is from 1553, the last year of Edward VI's short reign. Edward was a decidedly Protestant king; or, perhaps more accurately, the Regency Council which administered his rule was decidedly Protestant, allowing England finally fully experience the Reformation. It was during this time that the Book of Common Prayer was produced, officially implementing a Protestant worship service in the realm, and, after being banned by the prior king in 1543, vernacular bibles were once again allowed.
As such, it is unsurprising that the title page should bear his image, or that the edition should be dedicated "To the mooste puysaunte and mightye Prince Edwarde the syxte, by the grace of God, kinge of England, Fraunce, and Ireland...." His father, Henry VIII, had famously been given the title of fidei defensor, Defender of the Faith, in honor of his dedication to Catholicism; here, in an English bible, Edward is given the same title for his dedication to Protestantism.
The text in this edition was translated by Tyndale from Greek manuscripts and influenced by Luther's German bible, here edited by Jugge, who held the privilege for printing the New Testament in England. Aside from being written in the language of the people, it featured illustrations, maps, and summaries to help them better understand the Holy Scriptures.
Sources
- Henry Wansbrough. “Tyndale.” In The Bible in the Renaissance: Essays on Biblical Commentary and Translation in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries, 116–32. St Andrews Studies in Reformation History. Aldershot, Hants, UK : Burlington, USA: Ashgate, 2001.
- “Universal Short Title Catalogue.” Accessed March 18, 2016. http://ustc.ac.uk.
