Bible in shorthand

SHORTHAND BIBLE – ADDY, William (fl. 1685) – STURT, John (1658-1730, engr.). [Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments with singing Psalms in shorthand, written by William Addy. The Bible engraved by John Sturt.] [… sold by Dorman Newman at the Kings Armes in ye Poultry Tho Fabian in Pauls Church yard Sam: Crouch at ye. Flower de luce in Cornhill Wm Marshall at ye Bible in Newgate street Tho: Cockerill at ye 3 Leggs over against ye Stocks market I. Lawrence at ye Angel in ye Poultry & Bible... London, 1687. Pocket-sized (115 x 76mm).16mo. [8], 396pp., [2]. Double-column, between red ruled borders, except for Psalms in three columns. Engraved portrait frontispiece of William Addy facing engraved title depicting Moses and Aaron. Engraved column miniature of the Fall of Man; nude Eve and Adam flanking Tree of Life entwined by serpent. Full-page engraving at beginning of New Testament with four Evangelist writers and their beasts: John (eagle); Luke (ox); Matthew (angel); and Mark (lion). Full-page engraving of David playing harp at beginning of Psalms. Contemporary leather binding, marbled endpapers; (lightly browned, lightly worn with usem spine partly perished). Inscribed on front free endpaper “Charles Brune Graves Sawle.” Sir Charles Brune Graves-Sawle (1816-1903), was a baronet, member of the British House of Commons and a philanthropist in his home town of Pernice, Cornwall.

First Edition. William Addy was an expert writer, stenographer and author of Stenographia; a system of shorthand published in 1685. Addy’s shorthand method, a modification of that of the renowned stenographer Jeremiah Rich, was so much practiced by his contemporaries that this Bible was published according to his unique system just two years later after his flagship work. Addy’s Bible was the most extensive written works in shorthand of that time. The portrait of Addy, engraved by John Sturt was made after a painting by Samuel Barker; Sturt also expertly executed the rest of the engravings. This nicely-sized shorthand Bible finely showcases this writing system invented by Addy and is a testament to this abbreviated writing phenomenon of sorts, which dominated later 17th and 18th century English writing circles. The somewhat standard engravings remain intact and are rich in Baroque sentiment. (#kfk573)