Great Bible Leaf 1539, Numbers 2 4, 1st Edition, Very Rare

  
The Smuggling of the 1539 Great Bible: A Drama of Ink. A cold wind prowled the alleys of Paris, rattling shutters and stirring suspicion in the hearts. In a quiet workshop on Rue Saint-Jacques, the groan of a printing press was a. Song of defiance - each pull of the handle, each creak of the wooden frame, a hymn of. Here, under the vaulted arches of a humble press, Francis Regnault and his skilled. Typesetters worked by candlelight, guided by the unwavering vision of a foreign. The Great Bible was to be England's first authorized Scripture - a beacon of truth in the. Under the watchful eye of English printers Richard Grafton and Edward. Whitchurch, sheets of English text emerged, row by row, letter by letter - a triumph of. Yet beyond the walls of the press, the guardians of orthodoxy sniffed out the scent of. The Sorbonne theologians fumed at the rumour of an English Bible - a work of. Tyndale's taint, sired by the schismatic Henry VIII. The Inquisition brooded, its agents in black robes whispering of burnings and.

One fateful dusk, as the ink dried on fresh leaves of the Pentateuch, the door burst open. Inquisitors swept in like winter's fury, seizing not just the presses but the very hope of a.

The presses groaned in protest as they were carried off. The types, stolen by unwitting.

Thieves, helpless as they were destined for destruction. Yet Grafton and Whitchurch were no cowards. By night, they slipped through shadowed. Alleys, their boots echoing on icy cobblestones.

They bribed the watchful eyes with gold and. Promises, gathering the printed sheets - those precious leaves that had by God's.

Providence so far escaped the Inquisition's furnace. By moonlight, barrels were filled with these fragile folios - sheets of the Five Books of. Moses and the four Gospels of the Evangelists - each a testament of defiance against.

Disguised as common cargo, the barrels of sacred word rumbled down the ancient streets of. Paris, past watchtowers and sentinels. The night air was thick with dread; any cry of alarm.

Would mean the pyres of heresy. At the banks of the Seine, the barrels were loaded onto flat-bottomed boats - silent. Ferrymen in woollen cloaks, moving with the caution of men who knew the cost of discovery.

The river bore them on - away from the Sorbonne's iron will, away from the inquisitor's. When at last the barrels reached London's wharves, they were at last unbound in the city of. The leaves of Scripture, though damp from the mist of English Channel, shone. In the bustling heart of London, Grafton and Whitchurch went to work on English presses. The work of Paris resumed under the watchful eyes of Coverdale.

In April 1539, the Great Bible was complete - a monument to cunning, courage, and. Thus, was born the Great Bible: not merely ink on paper, but a cry for spiritual liberty. Story of its sheets - smuggled under cover of night, ferried across forbidden waters. Became a tale told in hushed tones among printers and preachers. For every letter in those pages, a battle was waged.

Against the Inquisition's fire. Against the Sorbonne's pride. Against the silence of a people kept from the Word of God. And so, each leaf of the Paris Great Bible carries with it a memory - of barrels rolling down. Moonlit roads, of men whose faith outpaced their fear, and of a world trembling on the edge. A Single Leaf, A World of History. Presented, for your discerning consideration is one leaf from that saga - an original leaf. From the Bible that defied kings and councils, inquisitors and theologians - perhaps the most. Poignant leaf of all the leaves that were smuggled into England in those oak barrels many. A Historic Page of Divine Deliverance and Human Bravery.

Numbers 2-4 lays out the precise organization of the Israelite camp around the Tabernacle. Highlighting the centrality of God's presence among His people.

Each tribe is assigned a. Position and standard, ensuring unity and order in their journey. The Levites are set apart. For sacred service, tasked with caring for and carrying the holy things of the Tabernacle.

A role of utmost reverence and responsibility. These chapters underscore the themes of. Holiness, divine order, and the sacred duty of those entrusted to guard and transport the. Symbols of God's covenant. Parallel in theme are the English printers Grafton and.

Whitchurch appointed by the King to oversee the printing of the sacred text of the 1539 Great. A Triumph of Faith and Art. This exceptional leaf from the 1539 Great Bible is more than just a page of Scripture. It's a window into the dawn of the English Reformation, where art and faith united in defiance of. These early sheets are renowned for their rich woodcut illustrations.

Artisans - possibly influenced by the great Hans Holbein the Younger - these images. Brought the Bible's stories to life for those who could not read them. As woodcut, involved carving designs in relief into wood blocks that were then inked and.

Pressed onto the page alongside the printed text. This was the perfect marriage of picture and.

Word in a single press run, an innovation that made these pages a feast for the eye as well as. What sets this leaf apart is its unique architectural columns flanking the illustrations. The first 1539 edition of the Great Bible included these stately Renaissance-style columns. Making this leaf a rare and visually striking treasure.

All subsequent editions lost these. Columns - but here they stand, framing the sacred stories as if in a cathedral of ink.

This leaf is a testament not only to the triumph of God's Word over centuries of suppression. But to the power of beauty to convey faith. Each line was pressed by hand, each image. Carefully carved and printed - a labour of devotion in the service of the King of kings. Original 1539 Great Bible leaf - first edition, with architectural columns flanking. Printed in Paris - part of the earliest sheets smuggled to England in barrels, saved. From the Inquisition's wrath. Hand-carved woodcut illustrations - a perfect example of 16th-century religious. A rare and visually dramatic relic - ideal for framing, study, or devotional. Nearly five centuries old, printed on rag paper. Accompanied by a Certificate of Historicity from the Biblical Heritage Collection. Includes a fine art reproduction of the Paris barrel-smuggling scene as illustrated in. Own a leaf of history - a testament to the courage of the Reformation, the beauty of. Renaissance art, and the enduring power of the Word of God.

Let this original leaf that clandestinely crossed the English Channel. Right under the noses of the Inquisitors speak in your hands as it once spoke in the. Shadows of Paris - a word of freedom, a testament of faith.

This leaf comes with: 1. One original leaf (2 pages) as viewed in the picture gallery 2. Exact reproduction of the 1539 title page and 3. A Certificate of Historicity from the.

Biblical Heritage Collection Archives 4. A fine art reproduction of the Paris Barrel. Scene as illustrated in the picture gallery. NOTE: The BHCA logo as illustrated in the. PRICES VARY DEPENDING ON THE TEXT OF THE LEAVES.