1545, as giving readings in accordance with the oldest IMSS., though the sources from which they are derived are not given (Varice Lect. xcix). The course of con- troversy in the 16th century exaggerated the impor- tance of the differences in the text and interpretation of the Vulgate, and the confusion called for some rem- edy. An authorized edition became a necessity for the Romish Church, and, however gravely later theologians may have erred in explaining the policy or intentions of the Tridentine fathers on this point, there can be no doubt that (setting aside all reference to the oriyinal texts) the principle of their decision — the preference, that is, of the oldest Latin text to any later Latin ver- sion— was substantially right.
2. The Sixtine and Clementine Vulgates. — The first ses- sion of the Council of Trent was held on Dec. 13, 1645. After some preliminary arrangements, the Nicene Creed was formally promulgated as the foundation of the Chris- tian faith on Feb. 4, 1546, and then the council proceed- ed to the question of the authority, text, and interpre- tation of Holy Scripture. A committee was appointed to report upon the subject, which held private meetings from Feb. 20 to March 17. Considerable varieties of opinion existed as to the relative value of the original and Latin texts, and the final decree was intended to serve as a compromise. This was made on April 8,
1546, and consisted of two parts — the first of which con-
VULGATE
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VULGATE
tains the list of the canonical books, with the usual anathema on those who refuse to receive it; while the second, " On the Edition and Use of tlie Sacred Books." contains no anathema, so that its contents are not arti- cles of faith. The wordiuLC "f 'I'l' decree itself contains several marks of the controversy from which it arose, anil admits of a far more liberal construction than later j;losses have affixed to it. In attirming the authority of the " Old Vulgate," it contains no estimate of the value of the original texts. The ([uestion decided is simply the relative merits of the current Latin versions ("si ex omnibus Latiuis versionibtis qua? circiimferuii- tur"), and this only in reference to public exercises. The object contemplated is the advantage Qitilila.'i) of the Church, and not anything essential to its con- stitution. It was further enacted, as a check to the license of printers, that " Holy Scripture, but especially the old and common [Vulgate] edition [evidentlv with- out excluding the original texts], should be printed as correctly as possible." In spite, however, of the com- parative caution of the decree, and the interpretation which was affixed to it by the highest authorities, it was received with little favor, and the want of a stand- ard text of the Vulgate practically left the question as unsettled as before. The decree itself was made by men little fitted to anticipate the difficulties of textual criticism, but afterwards these were found to be so great that for some time it seemed that no authorized edition would appear. Tiie theologians of Belgium diil some- thing to meet the want. In 15-17 the first edition of Ilenteiiius appeared at Louvaiii, which had verj' consid- erable influence upon later copies. It was based upon the collation of Latin ]MSS. and the Stephanie edition of 1540. In the Antwerp Polyglot of 15G8-72 the Vul- gate was borrowed from the Complutcnsian (Vercellone, Var. Led. ci) ; but in the Antwerp edition of the Vul- gate of 1573-7-1 the text of Hentenius was adopted, with copious additions of readings by Lucas Brugensis. This last was designed as the |ireparation and temporary sub- stitute for the papal edition ; indeed, it may be ques- tioned whether it was not put forth as the "correct edi- tion required by the Tridentine decree" (comp. Lucas Brug. ap. Vercellone, cii). But a papal board was al- ready engaged, however desultorily, upon the work of revision. The earliest trace of an attemiit to realize the recommendations of the council is found fifteen years after it was made. In 15(51 Paulus Manutius (son of Aldus Manutius) was invited to Eome to super- intend the printing of Latin and Greek Bibles (Vercel- lone, Var. Led. etc., i, prol. xix, note). During that year and the next several scholars (with Sirletus at their head) were engaged in the revision of the text. In the pontificate of Pius V the work was continued, and Sirletus still took a chief part in it (15(19-70) (ibid. loc. cit. prol. XX, note), but it was currently reported that the difficulties of publishing an authoritative edi- tion were insuperable. Nothing further was done to- wards the revision of the Vulgate under Gregory XIII, hut preparations were made for an edition of the Sept. This appeared in 1587, in the second year of the pon- tificate of Sixtus V, who had been one of the chief promoters of the work. After the publication of the Sept., Sixtus immediately devoted himself to the pro- duction of an edition of the Vulgate. He was himself a scliolar. and his imperious genius led him to face a task from whicli others had shrunk. "He had felt," he says, "from his first accession to the papal throne (1585), great grief, or even indignation (imligne fe- 7-enfes), that the Tridentine decree was still unsatisfied;" and a board was appointed, under the iiresidency of car- dinal Carafa, to arrange the materials and offer sugges- tions for an edition. Sixtus himself revised the text, rejecting or confirming the suggestions of the board by his absolute judgment ; and when the work was print- ed, he examined the sheets with the utmost care, and corrected the errors with his own hand. The edition appeared in 1500, with the famous constitution ..£V«h«s