1549 Erasmus Paraphrase — John 6–7
1549 Erasmus New Testament Paraphrase Leaf — John 6–7
The Bread of Life & Feast of Tabernacles
An authentic, original 1549 leaf from Erasmus's English New Testament Paraphrase, an important work of the English Reformation. Commissioned under King Edward VI for placement alongside the Great Bible in parish churches throughout England, this significant piece of sixteenth-century biblical history features the English paraphrase associated with Nicolas Udall and Miles Coverdale.
The leaf contains passages from the Gospel of John, including Christ's renowned discourse on the Bread of Life and the opening of Chapter 7, as Jesus travels to Galilee during the Feast of Tabernacles.
Item Specifics
Year: 1549
Work: The Paraphrase of Erasmus Upon the Newe Testament
Material: Original 16th-century rag paper folio leaf
Dimensions: 7 ¼" × 11"
Format: Small folio
Folio: Fol. l. (marked in the upper right corner)
Type: Sharp black-letter (Gothic) type
Illustration: Prominent woodcut initial
Certificate of Authenticity: Included
Text Content & Visual Highlights
Side A — John 6:
Contains the concluding portion of Christ's powerful discourse concerning the Bread of Life, together with the reactions of the twelve Apostles. The running header reads:
“The Gospell of S. John. Cap. vi. Fol. l.”
Side B — John 7:
Opens the seventh chapter as Jesus travels into Galilee during the Feast of Tabernacles. The page features the running header:
“The paraphrase of Erasmus upon / The .vii. Chapter.”
Woodcut Initial:
A particularly striking feature is the ornate woodcut initial “A,” measuring more than one inch in height at the beginning of Chapter 7.
Typography & Printing:
The leaf displays crisp black-letter typography with strong ink contrast, preserving the distinctive appearance of sixteenth-century English printing.
Condition
Formatting:
The leaf retains its natural historic format, including generous side and bottom margins consistent with its original printing and binding.
Paper Integrity:
The original sixteenth-century rag paper remains crisp, stable, and strong. A tiny, singular historic wormhole is present in the left margin, well away from the printed text. A small, shallow historic chip is present at the upper-left corner tip.
Patina & Historic Marks:
The leaf displays a gentle, uniform cream-and-tan age toning. A faint historic damp stain is visible along the outer vertical margin. Side A contains a few scattered small, dark historic handling spots and ink marks, none of which interfere with the readability of the text.
This is an authentic surviving leaf from a significant work of the English Reformation, preserving both the physical character of sixteenth-century printing and passages from one of the New Testament's most enduring Gospel accounts.
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Collection Reference: AS-1033
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