Bible, Jardine family, Spedlins Tower, Lochmaben, c1548
It is likely that this 16th century Bible was from the
local family church of the Jardines.
In 1536 a man called William Tyndale was executed
for printing a Bible in English. During the
Reformation the Bible was translated into many
European languages but it was still illegal to own or
print an English version. Tyndale's last words were
reported to be "Lord, open the King of England's eyes!"
Only three years later, Henry VIII would fund the
translation and printing of the first authorised Bible
in English, partly based on Tyndale's work.
This copy of the Bible was printed in 1540 on
cotton rag, not paper, which is why it survives so
well. The book is missing its decorative frontispiece
which would show Henry VIII commissioning the
translation of God's word into English. The text
flows from the King, through the clergy and nobility
to the ordinary people. This meant that anyone
who could read English could now read the bible
for the first time. Henry's chief minister Thomas
Cromwell directed that the clergy make a copy
of the bible available in their parish for the use
of the people. It was rebound in suede in the late
18th or early 19th century. At the same time the
large margins were removed. This has meant
some of the marginalia, or notes have been lost.
The Images:
Building the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9).
Here the building of the tower is done using
building techniques familiar to the artist in
the 16th century. Moses is shown with horns
in this and other images in the Great Bible.
This comes from the Latin Vulgate translation
of the Bible by St Jerome in 382AD where
the Hebrew word karan has been translated
"horned". Modern translations use "shining"
or "emitting rays", but the idea of Moses
having horns persisted through the
Renaissance and can be seen in art and
sculpture of the period.
Moses and the manna from heaven. In the
book of Exodus (16:1-36) manna is described
as being like frost on the ground and tasting
like wafers made with honey. The people are
dressed in contemporary costume.
Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on
Mount Sinai. (Exodus 20:1-17).
David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). The
figure of Goliath is portrayed in armour of
the 16th century in Continental style.
Joshua before the battle of Jericho
(Joshua 6:1-27). Like Goliath, Joshua is
portrayed in contemporary armour. There
are also decorative capital letters. The book
has been created to look like a mediaeval
manuscript which had richly painted or
illuminated capital letters. This was common
in the first 100 years of printing. There is
also evidence of a printer's error which has
been corrected by hand.
The ghost of Dunty Porteous:
James 'Dunty' Porteous was a miller, and the
illegitimate son of Sir Alexander Jardine
(1645-1689) of Spedlins Tower. Legend has
it that after an argument, Sir Alexander had
Dunty locked up in a dungeon. Sir Alexander
travelled to Edinburgh on business and forgot
he had the keys to the dungeon in his pocket.
Dunty Porteous starved to death and began
to haunt the Tower. A reading from the Bible
was used to quiet the ghost.
We do not think this was the Bible that was used.
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Accession number :
DUMFM:1951.20
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