POLYGLOTT. This Word literally signifies a variety of Languages, and this Name is given to the Bibles publish’d in several Languages, or at least in three, of which the Texts are ranged in different Columns. Some of these Polyglotts contain all the Books of the Bible, others contain but a Part. These following are the principal Polyglotts that have yet appeared.
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The Bible of Francis Ximenes of Cisneros, Cardinal of the Order of St. Francis; it was printed in 1517, in four Languages, in Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek, and Latin.
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The Bible of Justiniani Bishop of Nebio, and of the Order of St. Dominick; it appear’d in 1518, in five Languages; in Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek, Latin, and Arabick. Only the Psalter was printed, the rest remaining in Manuscript.
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John Potken, Provost of the Collegiate Church of St. George at Cologn, caus’d the Psalter to be printed in 1546, in four Languages, Hebrew, Greek, Chaldee, or rather Ethiopic, and Latin.
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The Jews of Constantinople caus’d to be printed in 1546, in the same City, the Pentateuch in Hebrew, Chaldee, Persian, and Arabick, with the Commentaries of Solomon Jarchi.
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The same Jews caus’d also to be printed in 1547, at Constantinople, the Pentateuch, in four Languages, in Hebrew, Chaldee, the vulgar Greek, and in Spanish.
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John Draconitis of Carlostad in Franconia, in 1565, made an Edition of the Psalter, the Proverbs of Solomon, and the Prophets Micah and Joel in five Languages, in Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek, Latin, and German. The Death of the Author prevented the Compleating of the Impression of this Work.
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Benedictus Arias Montanus had the chief Care of the Edition of the Polyglott Bible perform’d by Christopher Plantin, by the Order of Philip II. King of Spain. This Bible is in eight Volumes, and was finish’d in 1572. ‘Tis in Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek, and Latin, with the Syriac Version of the New Testament. ‘Tis properly but a Copy of that of Cardinal Ximenes.
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There appear’d at Heidelberg in 1586, an Edition of the Books of the Old Testament in Hebrew and Greek, with two Latin Versions; one of St. Jerome, and the other of Santes Pagninus, ranged in four Columns, at the Bottom of which were Notes ascribed to Vatablus. This was the Reason that it obtain’d the Name of the Polyglott Bible of Vatablus.
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David Wolder, a Lutheran Minister, in 1596, at Hambourg, caus’d to be printed by James Lucias, a Bible in three Languages, Greek, Latin, and German.
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Elias Hutter, a German, printed several Polyglotts. The first is a Bible in six Languages, printed at Nuremberg in 1599. There was only printed the Pentateuch, the Books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. There was the Hebrew, the Chaldee, the Greek, the Latin, and the German of Luther; and as to the sixth Language, the Copies varied according to the Nations they were designed for. Some had the Sclavonian Version of the Edition of Wittemberg; others the French of Geneva; others the Italian also of Geneva; and others the Saxon Version from the German of Luther.
This Author also gave the Psalter and the New Testament in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German. But his chief Work is the New Testament in twelve Languages, Syriack, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Bohemian, English, Danish, and Polish. This Polyglott was printed at Nuremberg in 1599, in two Volumes in Folio, and in four Volumes in Quarto.
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The Bible of M. le Jay in seven Languages, was printed at Paris by Anthony Vitre in 1645. It contains the Hebrew, Samaritan, Chaldee, Greek, Syriack, Latin and Arabick. He has follow’d the Greek Version printed at Antwerp, as also the Chaldee and Latin. Nothing can be more magnificent than this Impression, as to the Paper and Character; but Complaint has been made of the many Faults that are to be found in it.
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No sooner did the Polyglott of M. le Jay appear in England, but the Learned Men of this Nation undertook to give a new Edition of it more correct, more extensive, and more perfect. They accomplished this Design in 1657, and produced a new Polyglott in five Volumes, with Prolegomena, and several other Treatises in the first Tome, several new Oriental Versions in the Fourth and Fifth, and a very large Collection of various Readings in the Sixth. Brian Walton was the Undertaker of this Edition, which he finish’d in 1657. Hence it is that this Bible has the Name of Walton’s Polyglott. Those that are curious to know the History of these Polyglotts more at large, may consult F. le Long of the Oratory, in his Work call’d, An Historical Discourse of the principal Editions of the Polyglott Bibles, printed at Paris by Pralard in 1713.