The King James’ Bible (1611) is probably the most-printed book in England; it has remained in print as the approved English translation of the Bible for over 400 years. Its form and content guide much of the modern understanding of what a Bible is and what an English-speaking reader could expect to find within its pages, such as which books are canonical and what kind of language it features. The new Lent term 2026 Exhibition at the Parker Library opens strongly with a title page for the New Testament of the first edition of King James’ Bible. 

The Exhibition, Making of the Bible: Texts and Languages, tells the story of the Christian Bible as a book in England through some of the medieval manuscripts and early-print treasures held in the collection. It also highlights the activities of Archbishop Matthew Parker (d. 1575)—scholar, reformer interested in translations of the Bible, and book collector—and speaks to the legacy he left to Corpus Christi College for safekeeping. 

Medieval forms 

Image: Frontispiece to Gospel of St John in the Northumbrian Gospels, probably made in Lindisfarne in first quarter of the 8th century (now CCCC MS 197B, p. 247). 

During the Middle Ages it was common for biblical books to circulate in subsets: the text of the four Gospels tended to travel together (e.g., CCCC MS 197B), while the Book of Psalms could circulate on their own as Psalters or as inserts with other texts (see e.g., CCCC MS 391). 

Full bibles also existed in which all the biblical texts perceived as canonical were copied by hand on parchment and bound within single covers. Initially these so-called pandect bibles were large in size, but by the 13th century small portable bibles were emerging (e.g. CCCC MS 484). The impossibly thin parchment was filled with equally impossibly minuscule handwriting in order to fit everything in these pocket-bibles – come and see for yourself! 

What’s the language? 

Image: Opening of Book of Psalms in St Wulfstan's Portiforium, a breviary from Worcester, c. 1060s (now CCCC MS 391, pp. 24-25).

The default language for bibles was Latin, usually in the translation attributed to St Jerome’s work of the late of fourth century, known as the Vulgate. Vernacular translations of various biblical texts are available throughout the Middle Ages: first as Old English (e.g., CCCC MS 140), then Anglo-Norman French and Middle English - all translated through the intermediary Latin Vulgate. Both prose as well as verse translations existed, as witnessed by our Psalter, once at Norwich Cathedral priory (CCCC MS 278). Wycliffite Bibles, translated from Latin c. 1382–95, are the earliest translations of the entire Bible into English (e.g., CCCC MS 147). 

Images: An early 14th century Psalter (Book of Psalms) that contains translations of the Psalms in Middle English verse (on the left) and in Anglo-Norman prose (on the right) (now CCCC MS 278, p.1 and p. 91).

Early printed bibles 

It is during the early print period that we see an academic interest in translation and the study of the original biblical languages, Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. The first polyglot (multi-lingual) Bible to be printed with the original language texts of the biblical books was the Complutensian Polyglot Bible (1517) which offered multiple language versions on one opening, all translated to Latin. Others followed, such as Plantin Plyglot (1568-73) on display. Both sets of multi-lingual bibles arrived at Corpus with Matthew Parker’s donation of manuscripts and printed books. 

Image: Two early-print bibles in English, Tyndale's (d. 1536) translation on the left in 1552 revision, and Coverdale's (d. 1553) on the right in 1550 reissue.

In England too there was a rise in the interest to translate biblical texts from the original languages into English, although each set of translators also made good use of previous editions. For the Lent Term exhibition at the Library, visitors have an opportunity to find many 16th-century English bible translations on display: Tyndale’s (1522-36/ 1552 revision), Coverdale’s (1535/ 1550 reissue), Matthew’s (1537, first edition) and Bishops’ (1568/ 1572 reissue) bibles all appeared in multiple prints until King James’ Bible superseded them through the authority of royal warrant. 

Tickets to tours are available on our Eventbrite page. Last tour for the exhibition is at the end of March.

Tuija Ainonen, Sub-Librarian and Special Collections Librarian at The Parker Library