The following paragraph is taken from the article "English Versions" by Sir Frederic G. Kenyon in the Dictionary of the Bible edited by James Hastings, and published by Charles Scribner's Sons of New York in 1909.

Taverner's Bible (1539)

Matthew's Bible formed the basis for yet another version, which deserves brief mention, though it had no influence on the general development of the English Bible. Richard Taverner, formerly a student of Cardinal College [Christ Church], Oxford, was invited by some London printers ("John Byddell for Thomas Barthlet") to prepare at short notice a revision of the existing Bible. In the Old Testament his alterations are verbal, and aim at the improvement of the style of the translation; in the New Testament, being a good Greek scholar, he was able to revise it with reference to the original Greek. The New Testament was issued separately in two editions in the same year (1539) as the complete Bible; but the success of the official version next to be mentioned [the Great Bible] speedily extinguished such a personal venture as this. Taverner's Bible is sometimes said to have been the first English Bible completely printed in England; but this honor appears to belong rather to Coverdale's second edition.

F.G. Kenyon

Continue with the article: The Great Bible