THE BIBLE IN WELSH.

Y Bibl Cyssegr-lan, Sef Yr Hen Destament A'r Newydd.

Printed in 1620, this is the Welsh equivalent of the 1611 King James Bible. Copies were supplied to all churches in Wales. It remained the standard edition of the Welsh Bible until the 20th century. 1/6

Few books are harder to find in good condition than early Welsh Bibles. Country house libraries, the major source of early British books, played little part in their survival, while the strong religious faith of Welsh Protestants ensured that most copies were read to pieces. 2/6

This is the Lt-Col Davies-Cooke copy, purchased by Quaritch from the Sotheby’s sale of his library at Gwysaney, Flintshire, in 1959. It's complete and in its original binding (albeit rebacked in the 18th century) and may be the only known copy with the errata leaf at the end. 3/6

The translation of the Bible into Welsh was absolutely critical to the survival of the Welsh language, and is perhaps the primary reason that Welsh (and Manx) survived, while Cornish, which was never officially used as a liturgical language, did not. 4/6

Y Bibl Cyssegr-lan, Sef Yr Hen Destament A'r Newydd.
Printedig yn Llundain gan Bonham Norton a Iohn Bill, Prlntwyr i Adderchoccaf fawrhydi y Brenhin, 1620.

This is the Tollemache-Dysart copy of the book, rebound in the 18th century but in preternaturally fresh condition. 5/6

This copy has an extraordinary bookplate with 40 (!) quarterings, engraved in 1730 for Sir Francis Fust "of Hill Court in the County of Gloucester Baronet. Created 21st August 1662 the 14 Year of King Charles 2d", with arms of "Marriages [sic] in the male [and Female] line". 6/6

This is the first edition of the New Testament in Welsh, one of about 50 known copies: "Testament Newydd ein Arglwydd Jesu Christ. Gwedy ei dynnu, yd y gadei yr ancyfiaith, 'air yn ei gylydd or Groec a'r Llatin". Translated by William Salesbury, it was printed in London in 1567.