1575 Bishops’ Bible 1st Ed Small Folio –Royal Arm – Hale Family Register – Rare!

1575 Bishops’ Bible — First Small Folio Edition — Rare Early English Bible — Family Register — Royal Arms Binding

Item: The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Bishops’ Bible. Printed in London, 1575 (Richard Jugge). First Small Folio Edition.
Language: Early Modern English
Format: Small Folio
Date: 1575
Printer: Richard Jugge, London
Binding: Contemporary calf with Royal Coat of Arms (stamped) on both covers

Herbert Classification: 139

Historical Context

This is an original Bishops’ Bible, printed in 1575 — one of the key English translations of the Reformation period. The Bishops’ Bible was first issued in 1568 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, intended to replace the Great Bible and to counter the influence of the Geneva Bible, which had become extremely popular among Puritans.

The translation itself builds upon the earlier work of William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, whose pioneering English translations (1520s–1530s) laid the foundation for all subsequent English Bibles, including the King James Version of 1611.

The Bishops’ Bible was authorized for use in churches by the Church of England, making it the official English Bible of its day. It was produced under the supervision of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, and was translated primarily by bishops — hence the name.

This 1575 edition represents the first “small folio” printing, making it more manageable than the earlier massive folio editions intended for lecterns. These smaller folios are now scarce survivors, especially in near-complete condition.

Royal Coat of Arms Binding

The binding of this Bible features an unique stamped Royal Coat of Arms of England on both covers. This is typical of some Elizabethan Bibles intended for official or semi-official use, sometimes gifted to clergy, prominent families, or used in parish settings.

The Royal Arms indicated the book’s official status under the Crown, symbolizing that this translation was authorized for public worship and carried the weight of royal endorsement. Surviving bindings with clear Royal Arms are highly collectible.

Family Inscriptions / Provenance

Inside, this Bible contains contemporary family records written in ink on the endpapers and blank leaves. These inscriptions trace multiple generations of the Hale family from the early 18th century. Such registers provide invaluable genealogical and historical provenance.

Transcriptions include:

“James was born ye 13 of January 1781 at a quarter before 4.
Jane was born ye 19 of January 1782 half after 1 in the morning.
James born of January 4th 1784. Half after 2 in the morning.”

And detailed records:

“The Births of the Children of Henry Hale by Mary his Wife...
Richard Hale was born ye 21 of July 1721... Mary Hale was born ye 28 of September 1722... Elizabeth Hale was born ye 19 of November 1723... John Hale was born ye 18 of October 1725... Mary & Hannah was born ye 10 of April 1728...”

“The Births of Children of John Hale by Mary his Wife...
Mary who was born ye 8 of May 1763... Sarah 28 of January 1765... Henry 12 of January 1767... Thomas 30 of November 1768... Elizabeth 24 of August 1770... Henry 20 of September 1772... John 20 of July 1774... Samuel & John 10 of November 1775... James 23 of November 1776... Maria 14 of January 1778... Anne 23 of August 1779...”

These inscriptions are beautiful examples of family Bible registers, which were commonly used in the 17th–18th centuries to record births and family events. Such records can enhance the historical and archival value of the book.

Condition

• Missing the Old Testament title page and Preface.

• Cracking and wearing on the cover

• The contemporary metal clasps are missing. However, the metal base remains.

• Binding: Contemporary calf grafted onto a newer leather binding (Likely from the late 1700s), stamped with Royal Arms, age-appropriate wear, structurally sound.

• Text block: Crisp, 100% legible blackletter type; some light staining and foxing can be found. 100% textually complete.

• Family inscriptions on blank leaves and preliminaries, as detailed above.

• There are 2 contemporary leaf repairs, ink has browned from age.

More photos available on request.

Who You Would Want to Buy This:

• Collectors of early Bibles — especially those building collections leading up to the King James Bible.

• Institutions, archives, and libraries looking to acquire or upgrade a Bishops’ Bible example.

• Historians and genealogists interested in family records and 18th-century provenance.

• Churches and theological seminaries seeking a display-worthy Reformation-era Bible with royal arms.

• Decorative collectors of Tudor/Elizabethan period bindings.