Map of the Holy Land from the Bishops' Bible, printed in London in 1568.
In the 16th century, Anglican Bishops strongly objected to what they saw as anti-episcopal notes in the Geneva Bible. To counter its popularity, they initiated another translation.
Under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker (1504-1575), a committee of bishops undertook a revision of the Great Bible.
The first edition was published in 1568 on royal folio with beautiful typography and illustrations.
Although the Bishops' Bible was more notable for its appearance than for the scholarship of its translation, 20 editions were published, the last one in 1602.
[NLS shelfmark: RB.1.183]
A first edition of this Bible and others formed part of the display about 'The Bible in English' in our George VI Bridge Building from 2 November 2011 to 8 January 2012.