Richard Taverner
Encyclopedia
Richard Taverner is best known for his Bible
translation, The Most Sacred Bible whiche is the holy scripture, conteyning the old and new testament, translated into English, and newly recognized with great diligence after most faythful exemplars by Rychard Taverner, commonly known as Taverner's Bible
.
Taverner was born at Brisley
(about 20 miles northwest of Norwich
) (Schaff-Herzog p. 278). In his youth at Christ Church, Oxford
, Taverner got into trouble for reading William Tyndale
's New Testament
, which was being circulated and promoted there by Thomas Garret. In February 1528, Cardinal Wolsey attempted to apprehend Garret, who escaped temporarily with the help of his friend Anthony Dalaber. After being brought back to Oxford
, Garret and Dalaber participated in a public act of penance along with Taverner and others who would play a significant part in the Reformation
. He studied at Corpus Christi College
and Cardinal College at Oxford University, later earning at an MA at Cambridge University. He was licensed to preach in 1552 and served as justice of the peace in 1558, and as high sheriff of Oxford in 1569.
Later, under Thomas Cromwell
's direction, Taverner became actively engaged in producing works designed to encourage the Reformation in England
, which included the publication of his translation of the Bible in 1539, and a commentary published in 1540 with Henry VIII
's approval. Taverner's Bible was largely a revision of the Matthew Bible
. Taverner brought strong Greek
scholarship to the task, but his Hebrew was not as good as his Greek, so that the revisions of the New Testament are considered better than those of the Old.
Cromwell's fall (and subsequent execution) in 1540 put an end to Taverner's literary output and endangered his position. On 2 December 1541 he was sent to the Tower of London
by Henry VIII. Soon after, he was released again. He submitted to the King and was restored to royal favour. Under Edward VI
, when preachers were scarce, Taverner obtained a license as a lay preacher. Though an ardent supporter of the Reformation (Pragman 1980), Taverner had no intention of becoming a martyr
. When Queen Mary
came to the throne in 1553, he welcomed her with An Oration Gratulatory. After losing his position at court, he quietly disappeared from public life during her reign. Upon the accession of Elizabeth I
in 1558, he addressed a congratulatory epistle to her, refused a knighthood she offered him, and preached regularly at St. Mary's Church, Oxford
.
In 1539, Taverner published Proverbs or Adages by Desiderius Erasmus
Gathered out of the Chiliades and Englished, which was reprinted several times (White 1944). Richard Taverner died on 14 July 1575 and was buried in the chancel
of the church at Wood Eaton
near Oxford.
(d. 1572), was a surveyor and writer, and Richard's second son Peter, who established himself at Hexton, Hertfordshire, fathered John Taverner
(1584–1638), an Anglican clergyman.
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
translation, The Most Sacred Bible whiche is the holy scripture, conteyning the old and new testament, translated into English, and newly recognized with great diligence after most faythful exemplars by Rychard Taverner, commonly known as Taverner's Bible
Taverner's Bible
Taverner's Bible, more correctly called The Most Sacred Bible whiche is the holy scripture, conteyning the old and new testament, translated into English, and newly recognized with great diligence after most faythful exemplars by Rychard Taverner, is a minor revision of Matthew's Bible edited by...
.
Taverner was born at Brisley
Brisley
Brisley is a village in the English county of Norfolk located about halfway between Fakenham and East Dereham. It covers an area of and had a population of 276 in 117 households as of the2001 census...
(about 20 miles northwest of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
) (Schaff-Herzog p. 278). In his youth at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, Taverner got into trouble for reading William Tyndale
William Tyndale
William Tyndale was an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism towards the end of his life. He was influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus, who made the Greek New Testament available in Europe, and by Martin Luther...
's New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, which was being circulated and promoted there by Thomas Garret. In February 1528, Cardinal Wolsey attempted to apprehend Garret, who escaped temporarily with the help of his friend Anthony Dalaber. After being brought back to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Garret and Dalaber participated in a public act of penance along with Taverner and others who would play a significant part in the Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
. He studied at Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
and Cardinal College at Oxford University, later earning at an MA at Cambridge University. He was licensed to preach in 1552 and served as justice of the peace in 1558, and as high sheriff of Oxford in 1569.
Later, under Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
's direction, Taverner became actively engaged in producing works designed to encourage the Reformation in England
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
, which included the publication of his translation of the Bible in 1539, and a commentary published in 1540 with Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's approval. Taverner's Bible was largely a revision of the Matthew Bible
Matthew Bible
The Matthew Bible, also known as Matthew's Version, was first published in 1537 by John Rogers, under the pseudonym "Thomas Matthew". It combined the New Testament of William Tyndale, and as much of the Old Testament as he had been able to translate before being captured and put to death...
. Taverner brought strong Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
scholarship to the task, but his Hebrew was not as good as his Greek, so that the revisions of the New Testament are considered better than those of the Old.
Cromwell's fall (and subsequent execution) in 1540 put an end to Taverner's literary output and endangered his position. On 2 December 1541 he was sent to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
by Henry VIII. Soon after, he was released again. He submitted to the King and was restored to royal favour. Under Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, when preachers were scarce, Taverner obtained a license as a lay preacher. Though an ardent supporter of the Reformation (Pragman 1980), Taverner had no intention of becoming a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. When Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
came to the throne in 1553, he welcomed her with An Oration Gratulatory. After losing his position at court, he quietly disappeared from public life during her reign. Upon the accession of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
in 1558, he addressed a congratulatory epistle to her, refused a knighthood she offered him, and preached regularly at St. Mary's Church, Oxford
University Church of St Mary the Virgin
The University Church of St Mary the Virgin is the largest of Oxford's parish churches and the centre from which the University of Oxford grew...
.
In 1539, Taverner published Proverbs or Adages by Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
Gathered out of the Chiliades and Englished, which was reprinted several times (White 1944). Richard Taverner died on 14 July 1575 and was buried in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
of the church at Wood Eaton
Woodeaton
Woodeaton or Wood Eaton is a village and civil parish about northeast of Oxford.-Archaeology:There was a Romano-Celtic temple north of where the parish church now stands, and probably a Romano-British settlement and shrine as well. The shrine was used successively by Roman pagans and Christians...
near Oxford.
Family
The eldest of Richard's younger brothers, Roger TavernerRoger Taverner
-Life:He was the eldest of Richard Taverner's younger brothers. He was a surveyor and writer, said by Anthony Wood in Athenae Oxonienses to have studied at Cambridge but not graduated, though university records do not confirm this....
(d. 1572), was a surveyor and writer, and Richard's second son Peter, who established himself at Hexton, Hertfordshire, fathered John Taverner
John Taverner (clergyman)
John Taverner was the second son of Peter Taverner, the second son of Richard Taverner.Peter established himself at Hexton, Hertfordshire before John's birth. John was first educated at Westminster School and then at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he matriculated c. 1597, became a scholar in...
(1584–1638), an Anglican clergyman.
Sources
- Paul, William. 2003. Taverner, Richard. English Language Bible Translators, p. 222, 223. Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland and Company.
- Pragman, James H. 1980. The Augsburg Confession in the English Reformation: Richard Taverner's Contribution. Sixteenth Century Journal, 11.3: 75-85.
- White, Olive B. 1944. Richard Taverner's Interpretation of Erasmus in Proverbes or Adagies. Publications of the Modern Language Association, Vol. 59.4: 928-943.