George Joye facts for kids

George Joye (born around 1495 – died 1553) was an important person in the 1500s. He was a Bible translator who helped bring the first printed English translations of several books from the Old Testament to people. He also created the first English Primer, which was a type of prayer book.

George Joye's Life Story

Early Life and Education

George Joye was born in a place called Salpho Bury, in Renhold, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, around the year 1495. He went to Christ's College at Cambridge University. He earned his first degree in 1513 or 1514. In 1515, he became a priest.

Later, in 1517, he earned a Master of Arts degree. He also became a Fellow at Peterhouse, another college at Cambridge. By 1525, he had earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree.

During his time at Cambridge, Joye met many people who later became key figures in the Protestant Reformation. This was a big movement that changed how people practiced Christianity. Joye became interested in the ideas of Martin Luther, a leader of this movement.

In 1526, university officials searched the campus. They found a book belonging to Joye that had ideas they didn't like. Luckily, a powerful person named Stephen Gardiner helped him avoid trouble. However, in 1527, Joye was not so lucky.

A local church leader, John Ashwell, accused Joye of having different religious beliefs. Joye was called to appear before Cardinal Wolsey, a very powerful church leader, in London. Joye saw how others were questioned and realized it was safer to leave England. He decided to go to Europe.

Life as a Translator and Exile

After leaving England, George Joye moved to Antwerp by 1529. Many other English Protestants, like William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale, also found safety there. Joye likely worked in printing, helping to proofread, translate, and write religious books.

His first book, now lost, was a Primer. This was the first Protestant prayer book published in English. It probably contained translations of psalms and prayers. Some people, like Thomas More, criticized it for leaving out certain traditional prayers.

After his Primer, Joye translated the rest of the Book of Psalms, which came out in 1530. He used a Latin translation by Martin Bucer as his guide. In the same year, Joye published a new version of his Primer.

In 1531, Joye's translation of the Book of Isaiah was published. He also wrote a defense against the accusations made against him in 1527.

By 1532, Joye was married. He likely translated the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in 1533. He is also thought to have written a book called The Souper of the Lorde. In this book, he shared his views on the Eucharist, a Christian ceremony.

Joye then translated the Book of Jeremiah, Lamentations, and a new version of the Psalter (a book of psalms). These were the first English printed versions of these Bible books.

In 1534, Joye helped proofread Tyndale's New Testament. This Bible had been printed several times without an English speaker checking it. Joye not only fixed printing mistakes but also changed some words. For example, he changed "resurrection" to "the life after this" in some places. He believed the original Bible text meant the state of the soul after death, not the body rising.

Tyndale was not happy with these changes. He published his own revised New Testament and wrote a strong message criticizing Joye. Tyndale accused Joye of spreading wrong ideas and causing problems among Protestants. Joye then published his own explanation in 1535 to defend himself.

Return to England and Final Years

In 1535, Tyndale was arrested. People also wanted to arrest Joye, but he managed to escape and returned to England. Not much is known about his time in England then.

Later, Joye had to flee to Antwerp again. During this second exile, he wrote books defending different ideas. For example, he defended the right of priests to marry, which was a big debate at the time. He also wrote about his belief that Christians would always face challenges and that the return of Christ was near.

After King Henry VIII died in 1547, Joye returned to England for good. In 1548, he published a translation of a book about when the world might end. He thought it would be between 1585 and 1625.

In 1549, Joye became a church leader in Blunham, Bedfordshire. In 1550, he became a church leader in Ashwell, Hertfordshire. George Joye passed away in 1553.

George Joye's Legacy

George Joye's translations of Psalms, Isaiah, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, and Lamentations were the very first English printed versions of these Bible books.

His translations of the Psalter and his primer were printed many times. They influenced the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and how Protestants prayed in private. Other translators, like Myles Coverdale, used Joye's Bible translations.

Some of Joye's specific phrases were kept in later Bible versions. For example, "saving health" (Psalms 67:2) and "backslide" (Jeremiah 3:6). Also, the famous proverb, "Pride goes before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18), comes from his work.

One interesting phrase from his Psalter (Psalms 91:5) was, "Thou shalt not nede to be afrayde of nyght bugges." Here, "bugges" meant evil spirits. This phrase was copied into other Bibles, like the Coverdale Bible and the Matthew Bible. Because of this, some of these Bibles are sometimes called the "Bugge Bibles."

Works by George Joye

• (lost primer) (Antwerp?, 1529).
• Ortulus anime. The garden of the soule: or the englisshe primers, Argentine: Francis Foxe (vere Antwerp: Merten de Keyser), 1530.
• The Prophete Isaye, Straszburg: Balthassar Beckenth (vere Antwerp: Merten de Keyser), 10 May 1531.
• The letters which IOHAN ASHWELL Priour of Newnham Abbey besids Bedforde/ sente secretly to the / in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.xvij. Where in the sayde priour accuseth George Joye that tyme being felawe of Peter college in Cambridge/ of fower opinions: with the answer of the sayed George vn to the same opinions, Straszburg (vere Antwerp: Merten de Keyser), 10 June 1531.
• The souper of the Lorde: wher vnto, that thou mayst be the better prepared and suerlyer enstructed: haue here firste the declaracion of the later parte of the .6. ca. of S. Johan, beginninge at the letter C. the fowerth lyne before the crosse, at these wordis: merely were. &c wheryn incidently M. Moris letter agenst Johan Frythe is confuted, Nornburg: Niclas twonson (vere Antwerp), 5 April 1533.
• The Subuersion of Moris false foundacion: where upon he sweteth to set faste and shoue vnder his shameles shoris/ to vnderproppe the popis chirche: Made by George Ioye, Emdon: Jacob Aurik (vere Antwerp: Catharine van Ruremund), 1534.
• Ieremy the Prophete/ translated into Englisshe: by George Ioye: some tyme felowe of Peter College in Cambridge. The songe of Moses is added in the ende to magnif ye our Lorde for the fallof our Pharao the Bisshop of Rome, (Catharine van Ruremund), Anno. M.D. and .xxxiiii. in the monthe of Maye.
• Dauids Psalter/ diligently and faithfully translated by George Ioye/ with brief Arguments before euery Psalme/ declaringe the effect therof, [Antwerp]: Martyne Emperowr (=Merten de Keyser), 1534.
• An Apologye made by George Ioye to satisfye (if it maye be) w. Tindale: to pourge & defende himself ageinst so many sclaunderouse lyes fayned upon him in Tindals uncheritable and unsober Pystle so well worthye to be prefixed for the Reader to induce him into the understanding of hys new Testament diligently corrected & printed in the yeare of oure lorde .M. CCCCC. and xxxiiij. in Nouember., (Antwerp?), 27 February 1535.
• A compendyouse Somme of the very Christen relygyon: gathered faythfully out of the holy scripture: necessary for all them that rede the olde and new Testament[...] Translated by George Ioye the yere of our lorde. M.D. xxxv. In Septembre, London: John Bydell, 1535.
• A frutefull treatis of Baptyme and the Lordis Souper/ of the vse and effect of them/ of the worthey and vnworthy receyuers of the Souper/ necessary to be knowne of all Christen men/ which yerely receyue the Sacrament, Grunning (vere Antwerp: Catharine van Ruremund), 27 April 1541.
• A very godly defense/ full of lerning/ defending the mariage of Preistes/ gathered by Philip Melanchthon/ & sent vnto the kyng of Englond/ Henry the aight/ tra[n]slated out of latyne into englisshe/ by lewes beuchame, the yere of the Lorde.M.CCCCC.XLI. in Auguste, Lipse: Ubryght Hoff (vere Antwerp: Catharine van Ruremund).
• The defense of the Mariage of Preistes: agenst Steuen Gardiner, Iames Sawtry (vere Antwerp: Catharine van Ruremund), August 1541.
• The exposicion of Daniel the Prophete gathered oute of Philip Melanchton/ Johan Ecolampadius/ Conrade Pellicane & out of Johan Draconite. &c. By George Joye. A prophecye diligently to be noted of al Emprowrs & kinges in these laste dayes, Geneue: G.J. (vere Antwerp, Catharine van Ruremund), 1545.