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Robert Barker (printer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Barker was a printer to James I of England
and son of Christopher Barker (printer)
, printer to Queen Elizabeth I. Barker was most notably the printer of the King James Bible, arguably one of the most influential and important books ever printed in the English language
. He co-published the infamous Wicked Bible
, which contained a typographical error omitting the word not from the sentence Thou shalt not commit adultery.
In 1611, Robert Barker printed the first edition of the King James Bible. Although it was called "Authorized" it was not actually authorized by the king, although the king did take some interest in the work, the entire cost of the printing was undertaken by Barker who ultimately gained little financial reward but some fame for the work. The printing itself was substandard with uneven printing lines, the less modern blackletter
typeface used was considered of poor quality, and it contained many mistakes which were corrected in subsequent printings.
, also known as "The Adulterous Bible" or "The Sinners' Bible" was published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, both royal printers in London, and was intended to be a reprint of the King James Bible. However, in the Ten Commandments
(Exodus 20:14) the word "not" in the sentence "Thou shalt not commit adultery" was omitted.
About a year later, Barker and Lucas were fined £300 (roughly equivalent to 33,800 pounds today) and were deprived of their printer's license.
The fact that this edition of the Bible contained such a flagrant mistake outraged Charles I of England and George Abbot, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who said then:
I knew the tyme when great care was had about printing, the Bibles especially, good compositors and the best correctors were gotten being grave and learned men, the paper and the letter rare, and faire every way of the beste, but now the paper is nought, the composers boyes, and the correctors unlearned.
By order of the king, the authors were called to the Star Chamber, where, upon the fact being proved, the whole impression was called in, and they were fined.
The majority of the Wicked Bible's copies were immediately cancelled and burned, and it is rumoured that only eleven survive.
and resultant fine. In and out of prison for the next 10 years, Barker ultimately died there in 1645.
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
and son of Christopher Barker (printer)
Christopher Barker (printer)
Christopher Barker was the printer to Queen Elizabeth I. He was also the father of a printing dynasty that included his son Robert Barker, his grandsons Robert Constable and Francis Constable, and Richard Constable who is believed to be his grandson.The University of Glasgow, from their Printing...
, printer to Queen Elizabeth I. Barker was most notably the printer of the King James Bible, arguably one of the most influential and important books ever printed in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. He co-published the infamous Wicked Bible
Wicked Bible
The Wicked Bible, sometimes called The Adulterous Bible or The Sinners' Bible, is a term referring to the Bible published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the royal printers in London, which was meant to be a reprint of the King James Bible...
, which contained a typographical error omitting the word not from the sentence Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Official printing career
After working in the printing business for some time, Robert began working with his father's printing company in 1589, and inherited the printing house on 29 November 1599 upon his father's death. Most if not all of Robert's printing work was of an official nature, including prayer books, scriptures, and law books.King James Bible
Blackletter
Blackletter, also known as Gothic script, Gothic minuscule, or Textura, was a script used throughout Western Europe from approximately 1150 to well into the 17th century. It continued to be used for the German language until the 20th century. Fraktur is a notable script of this type, and sometimes...
typeface used was considered of poor quality, and it contained many mistakes which were corrected in subsequent printings.
The Wicked Bible
The Wicked BibleWicked Bible
The Wicked Bible, sometimes called The Adulterous Bible or The Sinners' Bible, is a term referring to the Bible published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the royal printers in London, which was meant to be a reprint of the King James Bible...
, also known as "The Adulterous Bible" or "The Sinners' Bible" was published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, both royal printers in London, and was intended to be a reprint of the King James Bible. However, in the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
(Exodus 20:14) the word "not" in the sentence "Thou shalt not commit adultery" was omitted.
About a year later, Barker and Lucas were fined £300 (roughly equivalent to 33,800 pounds today) and were deprived of their printer's license.
The fact that this edition of the Bible contained such a flagrant mistake outraged Charles I of England and George Abbot, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who said then:
I knew the tyme when great care was had about printing, the Bibles especially, good compositors and the best correctors were gotten being grave and learned men, the paper and the letter rare, and faire every way of the beste, but now the paper is nought, the composers boyes, and the correctors unlearned.
By order of the king, the authors were called to the Star Chamber, where, upon the fact being proved, the whole impression was called in, and they were fined.
The majority of the Wicked Bible's copies were immediately cancelled and burned, and it is rumoured that only eleven survive.
Imprisonment
In 1635, Barker was imprisoned. In spite of working on what should have been very lucrative business, Robert was not a good businessman and it may well have been this lack of experience and desperation that led him into trouble with the law, not to mention the controversy surrounding the Wicked BibleWicked Bible
The Wicked Bible, sometimes called The Adulterous Bible or The Sinners' Bible, is a term referring to the Bible published in 1631 by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the royal printers in London, which was meant to be a reprint of the King James Bible...
and resultant fine. In and out of prison for the next 10 years, Barker ultimately died there in 1645.
Further reading
- Plomer, Henry R.A Short History of English Printing 1476-1898. (London, 1900).