1580 Black Letter Geneva Bible - Inscriptions from Colonial America Dated 1640!

Description: A truly remarkable find.... This is a 1580 BLACK LETTER GENEVA BIBLE Owned and with inscriptions from Colonial America, dated 1640 and likely earlier, from the times of the Pilgrims, by the Family of William Fifield (1615 - 1700) with ties to the Mayflower, the Bachelder Family of the Scarlet Letter, and the founding of Hampton, NH itself! "THE BIBLE. Translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languages. With most profitable annotations upon all the hard places, and other things of great importance, as may appear in the epistle to the reader. And also a most profitable concordance for the readie finding out of any thing in the same conteyned. - Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker, Printed to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie. 1580." This is the legendary "Breeches Bible" - Translated in Genesis 3:7 as "and they sowed figge-tree leaves together and made themselves breeches." The accepted meaning is "coverings" (the KJV has "aprons"). Bound in an 18th century ship's log from the "Freedom" this Bible contains the signatures of William Fifield (c. 1615-1700), noting the Bible was presented to his brother Giles Sr. (1635-1676), a master mariner, and with the notation of Giles Sr.'s son Giles Jr. being born in 1658 "In Charlestown in Ye Olde Goodman Batchilder House." The earliest visible date is 1640, but there certainly are signatures from prior to this date, possibly of John Davy Fifield, the English emigrant to the family whom came over with his son William in 1634 on the ship 'Hercules', from London & Southhampton. William Fifield, an Attorney, Constable and Sheriff, was the founder of Hampton, NH; his wife Mary Batchelder also with very early ties to the region and area, likely the daughter or granddaughter of the earliest Batchelder ancestor to come to the colonies, Rev. Steven Bachilder of Hampton...whom, among other things, was the husband of the famed Mary Magdelene Turner (aka Hester Prynne), best known for her adorning "The Scarlet Letter"! There is also a possible tie to the Mayflower here - The Mention of Giles Jr.'s birth in the Old Goodman Bachelder Home could possibly be referring to the Mayflower Pilgrim John Goodman, whom came over as well from Southhampton as well on the famed ship in 1620! It is possible that Stephen Bachilder was the owner of this homestead here, possibly inheriting it from John Goodman, whom died only two years after his arrival here in 1620 without any heirs. The Geneva Bible was the Bible that the Pilgrims used; in fact; it is openly referred to as the "Pilgrims Bible"! A truly fascinating and striking piece, this is a RARE Geneva Holy Bible, presented in a highly fragmented state, but with the majority of the Old Testament Present, as well as the New Testament Title, prelims and most of the NT present as well. Bible is in English Black Letter font, in English, two columns with frequent notes and marginal commentary, as shown throughout. The Bible is bound in an old ships log from the final quarter of the 18th century, notably inscribed "Edward Cone, Mate of the Freedom, His Journal Book 1790", with a notation of the North Street School and an entry from the 1790s on the rear for Brandy. The leather spine is still stitched well, although the Bible text block has separated from the journal binding with time. The Bible begins in Isaiah Chapter 47, page 291, and proceeds through the OT into the NT, with the engraved NT title page present. The Bible ends at Revelation Chapter 18, lacking just a few pages at the end, although there are chunks of rodent damage along the edges and some tape repairs to the final leaf, as shown. The verso of the NT contains William's birth registry, although it has been partially obscured with an old repair, Giles Jr.'s birth and information are clear as day, as shown. The first page of Matthew contains a notation from 1766 in Boston; the last prelim of the NT with the earliest ink activity. It reads "To my lovinge brother William, I am loyale to ye...master...etc", possible the Bible either referring to Giles Sr.'s brother William, and is likely a presentation of a thank you inscription from Giles Sr. in the early 1630s. He has also written the word Elizabeth, possibly Elizabeth Fifield (1625-1725), also a sister. It can be inferred from this information that the Bible's first and true owner was John Davy Fifield (1575-1653), who passed the Bible to William, then passed it to Giles, then onwards. The Bible has a long line of provenance that picks back up after the 1790s and into the Saco, Maine area in the 1840s, landing with Reverend Albert Ferdinand Barnard (born 1806). His father, Stephen Barnard, a mariner, was possibly the one who rebound the Bible in the ships log, perhaps a cousin to the Fifield line. Albert passed to the Bible to Charles Alfred Barnard of Brighton, Mass, whom passed it into the Fabyan family and was the final holder of this Bible until just recently. All of this is reflected in a collection of early 20th century Newspaper articles, type letters and more laying out the Bible being a contest winner for the "Oldest Bible in New England". Newspaper clippings are included in the Bible itself. Measures 8.5" x 7" x 1.5". This is a truly historical find Geneva Room

Price: 5750 USD

Location: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

End Time: 2024-11-06T17:22:10.000Z

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