Beschreibung:

BIBLE, in French, 'La Bible de Serrières' -- La Bible Qui est toute la Saincte escripture. En laquelle sont contenus, le Vieil Testament & le Nouueau, translatez en Francoys. Le Vieil, de Lebrieu: & le Nouveau, du Grec . Translated and edited by Pierre Robert Olivetan (1500-1538), with prefaces in Latin by Calvin (1509-1564). Neuchâtel [Serrières]: Pierre de Wingle, 'dict Pirot Picard', 4 June 1535. 2° (351 x 252mm). Collation and contents as Darlow & Moule 3710. 61 lines and headline, double column, shoulder notes. Bâtarde, gothic and some Hebrew type. Woodcut ornamental frame on general title and New Testament title, ornamental initials in several sizes, woodcut device of a crown and heart on Apocrypha title (AAA1r) and at end (ss6r). First colophon on qq4v, second colophon on ss6r. Additional maps of the Middle East and Holy Land mounted on front and rear pastedowns. (Light stain on title, dampstain, primarily at upper corner, some tears and holes in the added maps.) 18th-century panelled calf, speckled edges (lightly scuffed, some wear at spine). Provenance : contemporary marginal annotations in French in the New Testament, primarily concerned with Hebrew names; Johannes Balthasar Starck (gift inscription to the library of the Frankfurt ministry dated 1733). FIRST FRENCH PROTESTANT BIBLE. At the behest of the reformers Guillaume Farel and Pierre Viret, Olivetan, a kinsman of Calvin, took on the preparation of a new translation of the Bible into French based on the original texts. He used Le Fèvre's version as his basis, and consulted Pagninus, Erasmus, Luther and Bruccioli, yet his work, particularly on the Old Testament, constitutes a new translation. As E. Reuss has shown (cf. D&M), his translation of the Psalter is based on the Hebrew text, not on the Gallican Psalter, as Le Fèvre's and nearly all medieval French versions. As Coverdale in his English translation of the Bible, Olivetan separated the Apocrypha from the canonical books. The impact of this edition was far-reaching. It influenced the English ('Matthew's') Bible of 1537, the French Geneva version, and, in turn, the English Geneva version. The present copy has two woodcut maps extra to this edition, one of the Middle East and one of the Holy Land, mounted on front and back pastedowns, respectively. They were added by an early owner to chart the travels of Jesus Christ, and they are accompanied by notes headed 'Le peregrenage que Jesus Christ a fair a cause de nostre salut' on the final blank verso. Adams B-1128; B.T. Chambers Bibliography of French Bibles 66. B1535win; Darlow & Moule 3710