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Wicked Bible

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162: 252: 221:, and Gordon Campbell have suggested that the potential second error could indicate that someone (possibly a rival printer) purposely sabotaged the printing of the Wicked Bible so that Robert Barker and Martin Lucas would lose their exclusive license to print the Bible. However, Campbell also notes that neither Barker nor Lucas suggested the possibility of sabotage in their defence when they were arraigned. 29: 900: 150: 201:
our God hath shewed us his glory and his great-asse". Gordon Campbell reports that there are no surviving copies of the book that contain the second error ("great-asse"), but that in three of the surviving copies there is an inkblot where the missing "n" would be, suggesting such a mistake may have
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The majority of the Wicked Bible's copies were immediately cancelled and destroyed, and the number of extant copies remaining today, which are considered highly valuable by collectors, is thought to be relatively low. One copy is in the collection of rare books in the
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A 128 as its source) lists this as one of the "two grossest errors", among "divers other faults". The other is a misprint appearing in Deuteronomy 5: the word "greatness" appearing as "great-asse", leading to a sentence reading: "Behold, the
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A number of copies also exist in private collections. In 2008, a copy of the Wicked Bible went up for sale online, priced at $ 89,500. A second copy was put up for sale from the same website which was priced at $ 99,500 as of 2015.
1116:"Bonhams : BIBLE, IN ENGLISH, AUTHORIZED VERSION [The Holy Bible: Containing the Old Testament and the New], THE 'WICKED BIBLE', 2 parts in 1 vol., Robert Barker... and by the assignes of John Bill, 1631" 267:
His Majesties Printers, at or about this time , had committed a scandalous mistake in our English Bibles, by leaving out the word Not in the Seventh Commandment. His Majesty being made acquainted with it by the
272:, Order was given for calling the Printers into the High-Commission where upon the Evidence of the Fact, the whole Impression was called in, and the Printers deeply fined, as they justly merited. 854: 560:""Thou Shalt Commit Adultery: A rare copy of the so-called Wicked Bible of 1631, which omitted a rather important "not" from the 10 Commandments, is going on auction in the U.K." 1133: 334:
There are fifteen known copies of the Wicked Bible today in the collections of museums and libraries in the British Isles, North America and Australasia:
303:, after buying what was then the only known copy of the 1631 octavo Bible for fifty guineas, "on June 21, I exhibited the volume at a full meeting of the 448:
In 2014, William Scheide donated his library of rare books and manuscripts to Princeton University, with a copy of the Wicked Bible among its holdings.
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Stevens, Henry. Recollections of Mr James Lenox of New York and the Formation of His Library. London: Henry Stevens & Son, 1886 (page 35).
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been covered up in these copies. He also notes that, at the time of the Wicked Bible's publication, the word "asse" only had the sense of "
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in London had a copy of the Wicked Bible on display, opened to the misprinted commandment, in a free exhibition until September 2009.
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A picture of the Deuteronomy 5:24 passage in the University of Cambridge copy of the Wicked Bible (201.C31.6) showing no misprint.
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and sold for $ 46,500. In 2018, the same copy of the Wicked Bible was put on auction again by Sotheby's, and sold for $ 56,250.
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Press Freedoms. A Descriptive Calendar of Concepts, Interpretations, Events, and Courts Actions, from 4000 B.C. to the Present
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Press Freedoms. A Descriptive Calendar of Concepts, Interpretations, Events, and Courts Actions, from 4000 B.C. to the Present
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The nickname Wicked Bible seems to have first been applied in 1855 by rare book dealer
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and is very rarely made accessible; another can be seen in the Dunham Bible Museum in
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The "... £300 fine ... was eventually quashed ... most of the texts were destroyed."
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The Wicked Bible is best known for the omission of the word "not" in the sentence "
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which often have absent negatives that completely reverse the scriptural meaning.
1018: 791:"The Wicked Bible: the perfect gift for collectors, but not for William and Kate" 644: 342: 328: 207: 1115: 683: 1215: 736: 706:"Challenges in Printing Early English Bibles | Religious Studies Center" 415: 1206:
Recollections of Mr James Lenox of New York and the Formation of His Library
962: 817:"Historic Bibles ‑ even a naughty one ‑ featured at Houston's Dunham Museum" 475: 463: 376: 260: 240: 225: 952: 300: 126: 985:"Rare 'Wicked' bible that encourages adultery discovered in New Zealand" 725:"Rare 'Wicked' bible that encourages adultery discovered in New Zealand" 214:, suggested that the existence of this second error was highly dubious. 251: 149: 224:
About a year after publication, Barker and Lucas were called to the
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Reports of Cases in the Courts of Star Chamber and High Commission
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Reports of Cases in the Courts of Star Chamber and High Commission
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In 2015, one of the remaining Bible copies was put on auction by
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The Holy Bible : containing the Old Testament and the Neuu
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Diana Severance, director of the Dunham Bible Museum at the
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In 2016, a copy of the Wicked Bible was put on auction by
535:"New museum's 'Wicked Bible': Thou Shalt Commit Adultery" 1078:. London: Robert Barker and assigns of John Bill. 1631. 863:
ESTC system number 006195643, ESTC Citation Number S161
438:, owned by the Phil and Louise Donnithorne Family Trust 1208:. London: Henry Stevens & Son, 1886 (pages 34–42). 589:
Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611 — 2011
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The Wicked Bible is the most prominent example of the
177:), thus changing the sentence into "Thou shalt commit 670:Russell, Ray (October 1980). "The Wicked Bibles". 844:on free public display in British Library, London 642: 259:The case of the Wicked Bible was commented on by 137:, the word "not" was omitted from the sentence, " 125:. The name is derived from a mistake made by the 1213: 1152:"Bible in English [The "Wicked" Bible]" 1134:"Bible in English [The "Wicked" Bible]" 502: 925: 788: 42: 649:. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan. p. viii. 153:Wicked Bible (1631 KJV) Exodus 20, with the 619: 1091:"Extremely rare Wicked Bible goes on sale" 498: 496: 27: 698: 749: 585: 250: 160: 148: 117:and Martin Lucas, the royal printers in 1204:Stevens, Henry. ′The Wicked Bible,′ in 982: 928:"The treasures of York Minster Library" 722: 669: 528: 526: 524: 493: 1214: 814: 554: 552: 455:, and sold for £31,250 (equivalent to 1088: 290: 581: 579: 577: 521: 16:1631 edition of the King James Bible 1034:. December 15, 2015. Archived from 549: 310: 13: 926:Stephen Lewis (29 November 2008). 789:Gekoski, Rick (23 November 2010). 782: 643:Kohlenberger, III, John R (2008). 255:The title page of the Wicked Bible 246: 14: 1243: 1089:Flood, Alison (21 October 2015). 872: 755:Ingelbart, Louis Edward (1987). 574: 532: 299:. As he relates in his memoir of 815:Turner, Allan (31 August 2015). 503:Rawson Gardiner, Samuel (1886). 305:Society of Antiquaries of London 287:expressed anger at both errors. 1166: 1144: 1126: 1108: 1082: 1066: 1042: 1024: 1005: 976: 945: 919: 893: 866: 855:"English Short Title Catalogue" 847: 835: 808: 773: 509:. Nichols and Sons. p. 305 411:Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library 121:, meant to be a reprint of the 879:Library of Special Collections 716: 663: 636: 613: 424:Princeton University Library, 420:Indiana University Bloomington 171:Thou shalt not commit adultery 139:Thou shalt not commit adultery 33:An edition of the Wicked Bible 1: 1194:, Greenwood Publishing 1987, 875:"Who owned the Wicked Bible?" 620:Rob Ainsley (6 August 2009). 486: 348:University of Glasgow Library 398:Houston Christian University 383:North America (seven copies) 359:Cambridge University Library 7: 1012:Greatsite.com platinum room 983:Corlett, Eva (2 May 2022). 723:Corlett, Eva (2022-05-02). 592:. Oxford University Press. 469: 10: 1248: 684:10.1177/004057368003700311 369:University of Manchester, 219:Houston Baptist University 210:, in a 2009 letter to the 1190:Ingelbart, Louis Edward. 901:"University of Cambridge" 881:. University of Leicester 586:Campbell, Gordon (2010). 393:Sterling Memorial Library 144: 87: 79: 69: 58: 50: 38: 26: 1172:Eisenstein, Elisabeth L 763:, Greenwood Publishing. 436:University of Canterbury 281:Archbishop of Canterbury 1021:retrieved 20 June 2008. 905:University of Cambridge 537:. The Salt Lake Tribune 409:University of Toronto, 387:New York Public Library 353:University of Leicester 318:New York Public Library 109:, is an edition of the 101:, sometimes called the 646:NIV Bible Verse Finder 626:London Review of Books 433: 432:New Zealand (one copy) 384: 363:University of Oxford, 339: 338:Britain (seven copies) 274: 256: 212:London Review of Books 206:". Rob Ainsley of the 166: 158: 43: 972:– via WorldCat. 400:, Dunham Bible Museum 265: 254: 164: 152: 113:published in 1631 by 1227:Early printed Bibles 1174:Rewolucja Gutenberga 1054:Princeton University 371:John Rylands Library 355:David Wilson Library 823:. Hearst Newspapers 426:Special Collections 405:Museum of the Bible 155:typographical error 39:Original title 23: 1017:2008-07-06 at the 291:Origin of the name 257: 167: 159: 19: 821:Houston Chronicle 416:The Lilly Library 391:Yale University, 188:(which gives the 95: 94: 80:Publication place 1239: 1232:Linguistic error 1160: 1159: 1156:www.sothebys.com 1148: 1142: 1141: 1138:www.sothebys.com 1130: 1124: 1123: 1112: 1106: 1105: 1103: 1101: 1086: 1080: 1079: 1070: 1064: 1063: 1061: 1060: 1046: 1040: 1039: 1028: 1022: 1009: 1003: 999: 997: 995: 980: 974: 973: 971: 969: 954:The Wicked Bible 949: 943: 942: 940: 938: 923: 917: 916: 914: 912: 897: 891: 890: 888: 886: 870: 864: 862: 851: 845: 839: 833: 832: 830: 828: 812: 806: 805: 803: 801: 786: 780: 777: 771: 753: 747: 746: 744: 743: 720: 714: 713: 702: 696: 695: 667: 661: 660: 640: 634: 633: 617: 611: 610: 608: 606: 583: 572: 571: 569: 567: 556: 547: 546: 544: 542: 530: 519: 518: 516: 514: 500: 481:Ten Commandments 365:Bodleian Library 311:Remaining copies 270:Bishop of London 234:printing license 231: 200: 190:Bodleian Library 131:Ten Commandments 123:King James Bible 103:Adulterous Bible 71:Publication date 65:and Martin Lucas 46: 31: 24: 22: 18: 1247: 1246: 1242: 1241: 1240: 1238: 1237: 1236: 1212: 1211: 1169: 1164: 1163: 1150: 1149: 1145: 1132: 1131: 1127: 1120:www.bonhams.com 1114: 1113: 1109: 1099: 1097: 1087: 1083: 1072: 1071: 1067: 1058: 1056: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1032:"Platinum Room" 1030: 1029: 1025: 1019:Wayback Machine 1010: 1006: 993: 991: 981: 977: 967: 965: 951: 950: 946: 936: 934: 924: 920: 910: 908: 899: 898: 894: 884: 882: 871: 867: 853: 852: 848: 840: 836: 826: 824: 813: 809: 799: 797: 787: 783: 778: 774: 754: 750: 741: 739: 721: 717: 704: 703: 699: 668: 664: 657: 641: 637: 618: 614: 604: 602: 600: 584: 575: 565: 563: 558: 557: 550: 540: 538: 533:Brown, DeNeen. 531: 522: 512: 510: 501: 494: 489: 472: 459:47,740 today). 375:The Library at 343:British Library 329:British Library 313: 293: 249: 247:Public reaction 229: 208:British Library 198: 147: 88:Media type 72: 34: 20: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1245: 1235: 1234: 1229: 1224: 1210: 1209: 1202: 1188: 1168: 1165: 1162: 1161: 1143: 1125: 1107: 1081: 1065: 1041: 1038:on 2015-12-16. 1023: 1004: 975: 944: 918: 892: 873:Dixon, Simon. 865: 859:www.estc.bl.uk 846: 834: 807: 781: 772: 748: 715: 697: 678:(3): 360–363. 672:Theology Today 662: 656:978-0310292050 655: 635: 612: 599:978-0199693016 598: 573: 548: 520: 491: 490: 488: 485: 484: 483: 478: 471: 468: 442: 441: 440: 439: 430: 429: 428: 422: 413: 407: 401: 395: 389: 381: 380: 379: 373: 367: 361: 356: 350: 345: 322:Houston, Texas 312: 309: 292: 289: 248: 245: 146: 143: 107:Sinners' Bible 93: 92: 89: 85: 84: 81: 77: 76: 73: 70: 67: 66: 60: 56: 55: 52: 48: 47: 44:The Holy Bible 40: 36: 35: 32: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1244: 1233: 1230: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1219: 1217: 1207: 1203: 1201: 1200:0-313-25636-5 1197: 1193: 1189: 1187: 1186:83-7180-774-0 1183: 1179: 1175: 1171: 1170: 1157: 1153: 1147: 1139: 1135: 1129: 1121: 1117: 1111: 1096: 1092: 1085: 1077: 1076: 1069: 1055: 1051: 1045: 1037: 1033: 1027: 1020: 1016: 1013: 1008: 1002: 1001:Alternate URL 990: 986: 979: 964: 960: 956: 955: 948: 933: 929: 922: 906: 902: 896: 880: 876: 869: 860: 856: 850: 843: 838: 822: 818: 811: 796: 792: 785: 776: 770: 769:0-313-25636-5 766: 762: 758: 752: 738: 734: 730: 726: 719: 711: 707: 701: 693: 689: 685: 681: 677: 673: 666: 658: 652: 648: 647: 639: 631: 627: 623: 616: 601: 595: 591: 590: 582: 580: 578: 561: 555: 553: 536: 529: 527: 525: 508: 507: 499: 497: 492: 482: 479: 477: 474: 473: 467: 465: 460: 458: 454: 449: 446: 437: 434: 431: 427: 423: 421: 417: 414: 412: 408: 406: 402: 399: 396: 394: 390: 388: 385: 382: 378: 374: 372: 368: 366: 362: 360: 357: 354: 351: 349: 346: 344: 340: 337: 336: 335: 332: 330: 325: 323: 319: 308: 306: 302: 298: 297:Henry Stevens 288: 286: 282: 277: 273: 271: 264: 262: 253: 244: 242: 237: 235: 227: 222: 220: 215: 213: 209: 205: 195: 191: 187: 182: 180: 176: 172: 163: 156: 151: 142: 140: 136: 132: 128: 124: 120: 116: 115:Robert Barker 112: 108: 104: 100: 90: 86: 82: 78: 74: 68: 64: 63:Robert Barker 61: 57: 53: 49: 45: 41: 37: 30: 25: 1205: 1191: 1173: 1167:Bibliography 1155: 1146: 1137: 1128: 1119: 1110: 1098:. Retrieved 1095:The Guardian 1094: 1084: 1074: 1068: 1057:. Retrieved 1053: 1044: 1036:the original 1026: 1007: 992:. Retrieved 989:The Guardian 988: 978: 966:. Retrieved 953: 947: 937:12 September 935:. Retrieved 931: 921: 909:. Retrieved 904: 895: 883:. Retrieved 878: 868: 858: 849: 842:Wicked Bible 837: 825:. Retrieved 820: 810: 798:. Retrieved 795:The Guardian 794: 784: 775: 756: 751: 740:. Retrieved 729:The Guardian 728: 718: 709: 700: 675: 671: 665: 645: 638: 629: 625: 622:"Great Arse" 615: 603:. Retrieved 588: 564:. Retrieved 562:The Atlantic 539:. Retrieved 511:. Retrieved 505: 476:Bible errata 461: 450: 447: 443: 377:York Minster 333: 326: 314: 294: 285:George Abbot 278: 275: 266: 261:Peter Heylyn 258: 241:bible errata 238: 226:Star Chamber 223: 216: 185: 183: 175:Exodus 20:14 168: 135:Exodus 20:14 106: 102: 99:Wicked Bible 98: 96: 21:Wicked Bible 1100:18 November 907:. iDiscover 800:25 November 710:rsc.byu.edu 301:James Lenox 192:manuscript 157:highlighted 127:compositors 1222:1631 books 1216:Categories 1059:2022-05-02 932:York Press 742:2024-02-26 487:References 228:and fined 911:April 10, 885:April 10, 737:0261-3077 692:170449311 566:March 30, 464:Sotheby's 263:in 1668: 194:Rawlinson 184:The 1886 129:: in the 59:Publisher 1015:Archived 963:43064147 605:28 April 541:April 6, 513:28 April 470:See also 179:adultery 51:Language 827:21 July 453:Bonhams 105:or the 83:England 54:English 1198:  1184:  1180:2004, 1178:Warsaw 968:11 May 961:  767:  735:  690:  653:  596:  204:donkey 145:Errors 119:London 994:4 May 761:p. 40 688:S2CID 632:(15). 403:D.C. 111:Bible 91:Print 1196:ISBN 1182:ISBN 1102:2015 996:2022 970:2021 959:OCLC 939:2016 913:2020 887:2020 829:2016 802:2010 765:ISBN 733:ISSN 651:ISBN 607:2021 594:ISBN 568:2020 543:2020 515:2021 457:US$ 341:The 327:The 279:The 230:£300 97:The 75:1631 680:doi 324:. 199:ORD 181:". 173:" ( 141:". 133:in 1218:: 1154:. 1136:. 1118:. 1093:. 1052:. 987:. 957:. 930:. 903:. 877:. 857:. 819:. 793:. 759:, 731:. 727:. 708:. 686:. 676:37 674:. 630:31 628:. 624:. 576:^ 551:^ 523:^ 495:^ 418:, 283:, 236:. 1158:. 1140:. 1122:. 1104:. 1062:. 998:. 941:. 915:. 889:. 861:. 831:. 804:. 745:. 712:. 694:. 682:: 659:. 609:. 570:. 545:. 517:. 197:L

Index


Robert Barker
Bible
Robert Barker
London
King James Bible
compositors
Ten Commandments
Exodus 20:14
Thou shalt not commit adultery

typographical error

Thou shalt not commit adultery
Exodus 20:14
adultery
Bodleian Library
Rawlinson
donkey
British Library
London Review of Books
Houston Baptist University
Star Chamber
printing license
bible errata

Peter Heylyn
Bishop of London
Archbishop of Canterbury
George Abbot

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