The London Polyglot

Biblia sacra polyglotta

London: Thomas Roycroft, 1655-1657. 6 vol. in-folio

Wing / B2797. Darlow & Moule 1446.

STROZIER, Special Collections Vault (double oversize) -- BS11657 . Carothers p. 11

Pages displayed:

-          vol. 1 plate 50. Solomon’s Temple as model of the architectural orders of Antiquity, from Hieronymo Prado (1547-1595) and Juan Bautista Villalpando (1552-1608), S.J., In Ezechiel explanationes et apparatus vrbis, ac templi Hierosolymitanis, Rome, 1596–1605, etched by Wenceslas Hollar (1607-1677)

-          vol. 2 p. 622-623. Old Testament: 2 Kings

-          vol. 4 p. 4-5. Apocrypha: Baruch

-          vol. 5 p. 398-399. New Testament: Gospel of John

 

The London clergyman Brian Walton (1600-1661), who had been deprived of his church in 1641 under the accusation of “subtle tricks and popish innovations”, formed in royalist Oxford the plan of a Polyglot which added to the many languages of the Paris Polyglot (1629-1645) versions in Persian and Ethiopic. Backed by Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656) and John Selden (1584-1654), and approved by the Council of State in 1652 the work was advertised by subscription and both royalists and republicans supported the project. In the first issue the preface gave thanks to Cromwell for allowing the paper to be imported duty-free. At the restoration of Charles II, a loyal dedication to the king was added, and the preface was reprinted, with the thanks to Cromwell removed.