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| The ‘Breeches’ Bible | |
| 1611 |
Greek by exiles in Geneva. It was important because, for the first time, the bible
had text divided into numbered verses, which was extremely useful for
preachers and readers alike.
It was popularly called the Breeches Bible because, whereas the Authorized
Version says “sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons”, this
edition says “they sewed figge tree leaves together and made themselves
breeches” (Genesis, chapter 3, verse 7).
This copy was presented to Hexham Abbey in 1954 by Col. H L Swinburne; it
had been in his family's possession for 150 years. It recently underwent
conservation work at the Durham County Archives.
Our grateful thanks are due to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Church Buildings Council,
and others for funding the new case and the delicate conservation work.
BREECHES BIBLE 1612
Note: Because of its rarity and fragile condition this Bible is displayed in a secure case in the north aisle of the Abbey church, where it can be inspected.
The Breeches Bible is a variant edition of the translation known as the Geneva Bible. It takes its name from the word used in Genesis 3:7 to describe the garments made out of fig leaves by Adam and Eve when they discovered the shame of nakedness. Most translations of the time used the word “aprons.” Perhaps the change reflects scholarly anxiety about the possibility of aprons blowing about in the wind! Today the most common translation is “loincloths.” A version using the word “underpants” would probably attract critical notice.
The Geneva Bible, as its name suggests, was produced in Geneva, which was then ruled as a republic and had become the de facto headquarters of 16th-century Protestantism. During the reign of Queen Mary I of England (1553–58), a number of Protestant scholars fled there to escape persecution.
This version of the Bible is significant because, for the very first time, a mechanically printed, mass-produced Bible was made available directly to the general public which came with a variety of scriptural study guides and aids which included verse citations that allow the reader to cross-reference one verse with numerous relevant verses in the rest of the Bible, introductions to each book of the Bible that acted to summarize all of the material that each book would cover, maps, tables, woodcut illustrations and indices.
The first full edition of this Bible appeared in 1560, but it was not printed in England until 1575 (New Testament) and 1576 (complete Bible). It was enormously popular, and over 150 editions were issued; the last probably in 1644.
The annotations which are an important part of the Geneva Bible were Calvinist and Puritan in character, and as such they were disliked by the ruling pro-government Anglicans of the Church of England, as well as King James I, who commissioned the translation still known as the Authorized, or King James Version, in order to replace it.
The Abbey's copy, presented in 1954 by Colonel H L Swinburne, whose family had owned it for some 150 years, includes a number of interesting features which are the subject of current research.
On the reverse of the NT title-page are written family births and deaths: seven named William Darnell from c1651 to c1845. See the URLs below.
The Bible, which dates from 1611, was re-backed in 1994, for which there is written documentation. The Bible had seen at least two restoration events previous to this: the spine was dated to the early 18th century and the boards and marble endpapers to the late 18th century.
1954: Breeches Bible presented by Col. Swinburne [Hex.Par.Mag. Feb p8]
1994: There was some conservation work by Mr David Hindley in 1994; see HEXAB9289. “Breeches Bible repaired and restored, case remade to hold it horizontally.” [Churchwardens Record HEXAB9535 p70]
2012: “Currently in a wooden case in the north nave aisle. To be housed in correct museum standard and monitored protective casing in new exhibition area.” [Hexham Abbey collection faculty document.pdf, §3]
2014: Conservation work [HEXAB9010] was carried out in the Conservation Studio at Durham County Record Office by the Archive Conservator Jennifer Halling Barnard. The Bible was delivered to the studio by Tom Kelsey, Chairman of the Conservation Advisory Group at Hexham Abbey, on Monday 30th June, and collected by him on Monday 11th August, 2014.
See also URL: powys.org