William Kethe (also Keithe) (died 6 June 1594) was a European churchman and Protestant Bible translator, especially of the Psalms.

Life

Kethe is thought to have been born in Scotland, although this has never been confirmed. His name was first recorded as being one of the

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

among the Marian exiles in Frankfurt in 1555 and Geneva in 1557, suggesting he left with those who took

John Knox John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgat ...

's side in the troubles at Frankfurt. Kethe helped translate the

Geneva Bible The Geneva Bible is one of the most historically significant translations of the Bible into English, preceding the King James Version by 51 years. It was the primary Bible of 16th-century English Protestantism and was used by William Shakespear ...

in 1560 and contributed twenty-five psalms to the 1561 Anglo-Genevan Psalter. Only ten of these were retained in the 1562 English Psalter, while the 1564 Scottish Psalter retained all 25. Most of his Psalms were translations from French sources. His version of Psalm 100, The Old Hundredth, is universally known by its first line ("All People That on Earth Do Dwell"). During the reign of Elizabeth I, Kethe served as

Rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

to the parish of Child Okeford in Dorset, (1561–1593). After retiring he remained in the village but he died within a year. Whilst serving as vicar, he had also had two spells as a military

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

under

Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG (c. 1530 – 21 February 1590) was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Their father was John Dudley, Duke ...

at Le Havre in 1563 and 1569.

References

External links

* Year of birth missing 1594 deaths 16th-century English Anglican priests 16th-century Scottish Episcopalian priests People from Dorset Marian exiles Translators of the Bible into English English translators 16th-century translators English military chaplains {{bible-translator-stub