John Canne and his Bible notes

Yesterday I posted a transcription “To the Reader” from John Canne’s publication of the King James Bible with marginal notes (The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues and with the former Translations diligently Compared and Revised, With Marginal Notes, Shewing The Scripture to be the best Interpreter of Scripture).

John Canne was an English separatist minister, theologian, and author. He was also a printer. He ministered both in England and in Holland. In the early 1620s, Canne succeeded Henry Ainsworth as pastor of a congregation of English independents in Amsterdam, staying there almost 20 years. In the 1650s he was at Hull. While there his wife Agnees and daughter Deliverance died and were buried at the Holy Trinity Church graveyard. Canne later went back to Holland, and it is believed he died in Amsterdam circa 1667. He was the author of several works, his Bible with marginal notes probably being the most important and enduring. Some others are:

• (1634) A Necessitie of Separation from the Church of England, prooved by the Nonconformists Principles. Specially opposed vnto Dr Ames, his Fresh Suit against humane ceremonies in the point of separation only. Also Dr Laiton, Mr Dayrel, and Mr Bradshaw are here answered, etc.
• (1639) A Stay against Straying; Or an Answer to a Treatise, intituled: The Lawfulnes of hearing the ministers of the Church of England. By John Robinson. Wherein is proved the contrarie, viz: The unlawfulnes of hearing the ministers of all false churches.
• (1647) The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments, Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues and with the former Translations diligently Compared and Revised, With Marginal Notes, Shewing The Scripture to be the best Interpreter of Scripture.
• 1656) Truth with Time: or, Certain Reasons proving that none of the seven last plagues, or vials, are yet poured out : neither will the time of their pouring out begin, till after the rising of the Two Witnesses and fourty two months of the Beasts reign be expired. Likewise, an answer to the said reasons; with a reply. Further, the author hath here set down (in a brief exposition) his opinion of the first vial.
• (1657) The Time of the End: Shewing, First, Until the Three Years and an Half are Come (which are the last of the 1260 dayes) the Prophecies of Scripture Will Not be Understood, Concerning the Duration and Period of the Fourth Monarchy and Kingdom of the Beast. Then, Secondly, when that Time Shall Come ... the Knowledge of the End ... Will be Revealed by the Rise of a Little Horn, the Last Apostacy, and the Beast Slaying the Witnesses; Contemporizing the Characters of which the Little Horn, the Last Apostacy and the Beast ... are Here Faithfully Opened, Etc.

There has been some idea that Canne was possibly a Baptist. Champlin Burrage pushes back against that idea in “Was John Canne a Baptist? A Study of Contemporary Evidence.”

Matthew Verschuur has an abbreviated transcription of “To the Reader” HERE.

More biographical information on Canne can be found in Dictionary of National Biography:

“Canne, John,” W. E. A. Axon, Dictionary of National Biography, Volume VIII (Burton—Cantwell), Leslie Stephen, editor. New York, NY: Macmillan and Co., 1886, pp. 411-413. (This can also be found on Wikisource.)