23 October,2015 09:12 AM IST | | Agencies
A rare copy of the Bible that orders people to commit adultery is to go under the hammer
London: A rare copy of the Bible that orders people to commit adultery is to go under the hammer.
The almost 400-year-old tome known as the Sinners' Bible or Wicked Bible has an embarrassing typo which makes the Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt commit adultery. The historic text, produced by royal printers Robert Barker and Martin Lucas in 1631, is expected to fetch £15,000 (Rs 15 lakh).
The gaffe was only discovered a year after this version was produced and 1,000 copies distributed throughout Britain. King Charles I ordered the copies to be withdrawn and burnt - but a handful survived.
He also summoned the pair to Star Chamber in Westminster and stripped them of their licence and imposed a stiff fine of £300 - equivalent to about £44,600 today.
Barker ran up debts and was imprisoned in 1635, and died behind bars ten years later. Nine copies of the holy book are believed to be left in existence. The auction will take place on November 11 at Bonhams in London.
