Poole's Annotations

In 1839 in Lumley's Bibliographical Advertiser the following two volume set was on sale (No 1500)

POOL'S ANNOTATIONS, 2 vols, folio, half calf, 21. 10s

A note says

Beni. Beddome's copy, with very numerous MS. notes and references, which, judging from the rarity and excellence of the works referred to, are exceedingly valuable.

This would be

Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vols. I and II: wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with the parallel Scriptures: the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened, by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

Matthew Poole (1624–1679) was an English Nonconformist theologian born at York and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. From 1649 till the passing of the Act of Uniformity 1662 he held the rectory of St Michael le Querne, London. Frightened by the Popish plot - for Titus Oates, on account of Poole's tract on the Nullity of the Romish Faith, had represented him as marked for assassination (1678) - Poole left England and passed his last years in Amsterdam, where he died in 1679. A complete biography of Poole was published by Thomas Harley in February 2009.

The work with which his name is principally associated is the Synopsis criticorum biblicorum (5 vols fol, 1669-1676), in which he summarises the views of 150 biblical critics. This book was written in Latin and is currently being translated into English by the Matthew Poole Project. Poole also wrote English Annotations on the Holy Bible, a work which was completed by several of his Nonconformist brethren, and first published in 2 vols fol. in 1683. The work was continued by others (last edition, three volumes, 1840). The Banner of Truth published a 1700 version in 3 volumes some years ago.