The Bear Bible in the views of an English Expert.

My activities with regards to our genealogic history wax and wane with the seasons. It’s been gardening and canning season, so my days are otherwise occupied. Then there’s the generalized unsettled feeling of this pandemic. Nuf’ said.

In following up with the church in England where the Gillette’s came from, I was directed to a man named Stephen Taylor. Following is my correspondence with him. I hope you find it interesting. He has very definite opinions about the story about the Bear Bible, and it might not be what you expect.

Just FYI: this is an example of an actual fruitful genealogy inquiry. There are many more attempts that I have made over the years that have resulted in little or no response. Said in another way, this is a true genealogy gem!

March 12, 2021

Dear Mr. Taylor.

I got your name from Jean Liddiatt when I sent the following inquiry.

My name is Marilee Ford.  I am a descendant of a man I believe to have been the pastor at the church in Chaffcombe in the 1600s, who died there in 1641.  His name was Rev.  William Gylett.  Two of his sons, Nathan and Jonathan emigrated to the United States in 1634.  Jonathan started the line of Gillette’s that I am related to.   

My husband and I came to Chaffcombe on our way to Wales a few years ago (before Co-vid!).  The church was very quiet, but I have been meaning to contact you since then to find out if you have a church historian or someone who is familiar with any old records or stories of the Gyletts that may still exist.  Could you possibly tell who I might contact for that information?

I do appreciate that this was a very long time ago, and would be grateful for any assistance you might be able to give me.

Warm wishes for your health and safety.

Marilee Ford (my grandmother was a Gillette, as the name came to be in the US)

March 14, 2021

Hello…your enquiry about Rev.  Gillet has been passed to me as a retired academic church architectural historian, and long-term resident of Chaffcombe. (Came here 1946) Unfortunately there are to my knowledge no stories or  records extant of Rev. Gillet’s time as Rector of Chaffcombe, other than the dates of his incumbency.  All that we  know is that his sons must have been assiduous in fulfilling the biblical injunction to “be fruitful and multiply”……..we have more visitors from his American descendants than from all other emigrant families put together! The church building has substantially changed since his time….he would probably recognize the tower (c. 1500) and perhaps parts of the chancel, but the main body of the building was entirely reconstructed in the 19th century, and if there were any earlier memorial tablets, they have not survived.  Nor is there any stained glass of pre-19th century date. There is however an Elizabethan silver communion cup and cover which he must have used, and which is still in use. And the communion table now in the Lady Chapel may have been in use in his time as the main Holy Table or altar in the chancel. Also there is the mediaeval former rectory house in the village……if he was indeed resident (and in those times a lot of incumbents were non-resident) that is where he would have lived..    More than this, there is nothing that I can tell…..there is an early baptismal register. on vellum, but I do not think it goes back to his time. I consulted it long ago when it was still kept in the church, and have forgotten the exact dates….. a recent incumbent consigned it to the Bath & Wells Diocesan archives, which I think are now held by the Somerset County Record Office in Taunton.  But there was, as I recall, nothing in there about the incumbents. Sorry that the material is so sparse!

Happy Days!

Steven Taylor

Dear Mr. Taylor 
Thank you so much for your complete response. One request would be if you could confirm the dates he was rector at your parish. I’d appreciate it. 
You’re right…the Gillettes are more than numerous in the US. I had no idea until I went to Windsor Connecticut where they first settled. 
Have you heard the story of their Bear Bible? The Bible they brought from England still exists. It was at one time used as a stop for the kitchen window and a bear came along and swiped it leaving its claw marks on the pages. It was given to the Windsor Historical Society where it is enshrined in their museum. So part of Chaffcombe is here. 
I would be happy to furnish the link to the full story if you’d like.
Be well. Be safe. Thank you again

Marilee Ford

March 21, 2021

Well, Mrs Ford…..I must apologize for the delay in reply to your last mail, but have been away from home without my computer… I do  not know the dates “off the top of my head”, but will find out and let   you know as soon as I can.I would be very interested in the link to the bear story…….are they sure that it was a bear, and not the Devil?

Greetings,
Steven  Taylor

April 2, 2021

Hi Mr. Taylor.  I have attached the link to the Bear Bible Story.  Hope you enjoy it.

“Bear Bible” Returns After 355 Years | Windsor Historical Society

If you can confirm the service of the Gillette Pastor’s time there in Chaffcombe, it would be appreciated.  Also if you can confirm he was buried there that would be helpful.  I did run across a note in an old history that there was a William Gillette who emigrated to the colonies after these two, Jonathan and Nathan, came…Am wondering if it was a brother or their father.  So much conflicting information!

Thanks again for your support.

Marilee Ford

April 3, 2021

Well, Mrs Ford…..thank you for the “bear” story. I was very interested to see that the bible concerned was the Geneva version, a more protestant translation than the 1611 “Authorized Version”, and the one which was popular with the “Puritan” party in England at that period…..leading me to think that the emigrating Gilletts were of that persuasion…..along with many others who went to America at this theologically turbulent time.  I still suggest that the “bear” may well have been the Prince of Darkness, who could of course have appeared in any form that He might have wished….and had a tendency to do so to those of radical protestant persuasion!!I have not forgotten your request for the dates of Rev, Gillett’s incumbency, but we are living through bizarrely strange times here….the church where the information lies is locked, and I have yet to encounter the key-holder….. will report as soon as possible.To the best of my knowledge there is no record of Rev. Gillett’s place of burial   ….in fact all that we in Chaffcombe know of him is that he seems to have single-handedly (?) populated white America with a multitude of descendants….who all come  here as visitors,… and are always welcome….!!  The incumbents, then as now, were seldom from local families, so  of Rev. Gillett’s antecedents we know nothing…..Sorry to be so negative!

Happy Days…

Steven Taylor

No worries Stephen. The fact that we are in abnormal times is also why I have the time to pursue these endless questions of you!
Thanks again

Marilee 

April 13, 2021

Well, Marilee…..I have consulted the  list of former rectors of  Chaffcombe, and Rev Gillet, (there under the Christian name of Edward), was inducted to the incumbency on 4 February 1609. He must have left the scene by 24 March 1642, when his successor Peter Cox was formally inducted.I also noticed  that we have had another Gillett (sic) incumbent, George Gabriel Scott Gillett, who was inducted on 12  November 1935. Perhaps he was another of the same tribe? Whatever, he resigned the living after about 4 years, and from chance remarks by his successor Philip Preston, (who was a great friend  of mine until his death), was not particularly happy or successful here. Apparently when Rev.  Preston took over, the edge of the lawn in front of the rectory house had a retaining border not of tiles, but of empty gin bottles!!Have thought further about the “bear”, and am convinced that it was seen at the  time as a Satanic threat….this is not just ignorant speculation on my part, as I have university qualifications in both history and theology, and used to lecture on both subjects….. There must have been lots of bits of wood about suitable for jamming windows, rather than using the Holy Scriptures!!

Happy Days!
Steven Taylor

Hi Stephen…Thanks so much for this…food for the endless genealogy fodder.  I spend many days down that rabbit hole. 

You know, I was always curious about why a BIBLE would have been used as a window stop.  You’re right, why not something else.  Are you implying that this particular bible was seen as satanically cursed prior to putting it in the window?  I’d be interested more in your thoughts on this, given your background in history and theology.

I am a trained nurse, but have always loved history, so genealogy fits that bill.  Theology as well fascinates me.  Appreciate your insights.

Stay well!

Marilee

April 19, 2021

Well, Marilee, here in outline is my view of the “bear” story….The Geneva Bible was translated by a largely Calvinist group of scholars (though incorporating much material from earlier vernacular versions) and was provided with copious ultra-protestant marginal notes and commentary. It was the favoured  translation in  the English church through the later part of the reign of Elizabeth 1st, when Calvinist “puritanism” was dominant..   The translators of the 1611 Authorized (King James) version, though again using  much from earlier translations, were less dominated by Calvinist theology. The Geneva marginal notes and commentary were removed. The Geneva version remained the favoured version for radical Protestants, but in the established Church of England it was soon supplanted by the version of1611. Large numbers of those who emigrated from here to America in the earlier 17th century were radical Protestants seeeking to escape  from what they saw as  the insufficiently reformed position of the English church, and the Geneva version would have been the version used by them.   While I know nothing of the theological position  of Rev. Gillet, I suspect that the emigrants from his family would have travelled for such theological reasons. Such people favoured a strongly literal approach to the Scriptures. Also the printed Bible, as the physical manifestation of the Word of God, was regarded with deep reverence….it would have been seen as utterly sacreligious to use the Bible as a window prop to repel bears. BUT the very presence of the Bible had a great spiritual power, and it would have been a potent weapon in repelling Satanic attacks, in exactly the same way as a follower of the Catholic persuasion would use the Sign of the Cross, or Holy Water. So, far from being Satanically cursed, this Bible was the most powerful weapon available against Satan.
This, of  course, entirely begs the question of whether the attacker was indeed just a bear, or Satan in disguise….who, you may remember, “as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devoure” And if a lion, why not a bear, or any fierce animal?What really matters is what the people at the time thought they were confronting. The evidence points to Satan in disguise.

Enjoy your Alice life down that rabbit hole….
Happy Days!

Hi Stephen. 

Fascinating!  Do you mind if I share this with the Windsor Historical Society, where the Bear Bible is on display in their museum?  It would definitely add to their story.

The only other thought I’d had about these Gillette brothers is that they came to America because they weren’t first or second in line and wouldn’t inherit property or profession…but now that I think of it, in William’s will, I believe, it stated that he had purchased property from Nathan…so probably your religious reason for their emigration makes more sense!  Where is our time travel pod when we need it!

Thanks again.

Marilee

April 23, 2021

Well, Marilee…..feel free to share my suggestions with the Bear Society People if you wish……the response, I suspect, will be negative!!

Happy Days…Steven Taylor

September 11, 2021

And that is, in fact, what I did today. Better late than never!