Brut, Madden's, for the Ormulum, Holt's, and for the Metrical Homilies, Small's, have been used. Poems and prose works found in periodicals, or collections, or the publications of various learned societies, have been so indicated either in referring to them, or in footnotes. The Biblical extracts found in the Middle English Benedictine Rule are omitted, inasmuch as they correspond almost exactly with those in the Old English version of that work which are listed in Professor Cook's second volume of Biblical Quotations. For the suggestion of this book as a continuation of his Biblical Quotations in Old English Prose Writers, and for inspiring help and direction throughout its preparation from the beginning, my hearty thanks are expressed to Professor Albert S. Cook. I am grateful, also, to Professor Henry A. Beers, Professor William L. Phelps, and to Dr. Henry N. MacCracken for valuable suggestions, and to Professor Andrew Keogh and Mr. Henry R. Gruener of the Yale Library staff, for generous and ever-ready assistance. A portion of the expense of printing this book has been borne by the Modern Language Club, and the English Club of Yale University, from funds placed at their disposal by the generosity of Mr. George E. Dimock, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, a graduate of Yale in the Class of 1874. YALE UNIVERSITY, January 10, 1911. M. W. S. TABLE OF CONTENTS 2. Historical Survey of Biblical Translation 3. General Character and Value of the Translations 4. Comparison of Translations of Given Passages PAGE INTRODUCTION 1. KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE OF THE BIBLE IN THE OLD AND MIDDLE ENGLISH PERIODS. To Wyclif is due the honor of having first translated the entire Bible into English. But long before, translations and paraphrases of several books had been made, both in Old and Middle English, by scholars who appreciated the possible influence of the Bible, if only men and women, unlearned in Latin, could read it for themselves in their own tongue. A love for the Bible, found in the greatest English poets of every age, is first seen in Cædmon. To him may probably be ascribed that beautiful little hymn in praise of the Creator, inspired by a vision from God, and written by a humble bard who withdrew from a feast because he thought he could not sing. If this be authentic, it is the sole remaining witness to the truth of Bede's words, who wrote that whatever Cædmon 'learned of Sacred Scripture... he in a little time gave forth in poetical language composed with the greatest sweetness and depth of feeling, in English, his native tongue; and the effect of his poems was ever and anon to incite the souls of many to despise the world and long for the heavenly life.' From what we know of the life of men and women in England during the first few centuries after it was Christianized, particularly after the Conquest, we can scarcely doubt that such effects of the Bible as Bede mentions grew more and more common, as poets, no less than preachers, continued to give of its treasures to the people. Of course, people varied quite as much. then as now: England did not become Christian |