[TAYLOR, John]
64mo, 40mmx36.6mm, A-E16 (A1 stuck to upper cover), A-D16. Roman and Italic letter. Two parts in one, separate title pages with ornament. Readers note, two printed verses to each page. Fine, clean copy in beautifully preserved contemporary dos-a-dos, silk over canvas. Covers and spine in coloured and silver thread with silver stumpwork. Floral pattern to upper cover, strawberries and leaves to lower, flower with yellow and blue stems to both spines. A thread or two loose, colours marginally faded, a.e.g. In folding box. A very rare and exquisitely bound miniature, containing an abridgement of the Protestant bible, set into verse by John Taylor (1580-1653). Floral design to upper cover on an off-white background, main stem in plaited silver stump work with large central pink flower, flanked by two twisting green and blue leaves, and two smaller pink flowers, all outlined in silver thread. Colour gradation is beautifully executed in silk shading. These techniques and colours also present on lower cover, with a raised plaited braid of silver and yellow thread with detailed strawberries with seeds, set on shorter stems of long, vertical single stitches, as well as green and blue spiked leaves, also outlined in silver. The spines are identical, comprising a central flower in pink and yellow silk shading with two yellow and blue swirls emanating from it along the length of the spine. In the sixteenth century embroidered work was very popular with the Tudor princesses, gold and silver thread and pearls being largely used, often with very decorative effect. The simplest of these covers are also the bestbut great elaboration was often employed . Under the Stuarts the lighter featherstitch was preferred, and there seems to have been a regular trade in embroidered Bibles and Prayer-books of small size, sometimes with floral patterns, sometimes with portraits of the King, or Scriptural scenes (Cyril Davenport, English Embroidered Bookbindings). English bindings of this types have become rare, with many lost due to looting for their precious metals or through destruction by disapproving Puritans during the Civil War. Thumb-bibles were accessible and digestible versions of holy scripture for children, mostly measuring two inches or less in size. Following the Reformation principle of sola scripturathe belief that the Bible was the supreme authority for Christian faith and practicethey summarised full bibles by paraphrasing its narratives, aiming to teach children (not yet old enough to read the Bible in its entirety) the fundamental basics of the text. The first known example dates from 1601 and they remained popular into the 18thC. The Old Testament is recast as the verbum sempiternum, while the salvator mundi refers to the New. Likely to be a corrected issue of the first edition with Latin title amended from verbum sempiternae to verbum sempiternum, which was retained in the later 1616 edition. The work is dedicated to Queen Anne of Denmark (1574-1619), a well-known contemporary patron of the arts, and her son prince Charles (1600-1649), later King Charles I, who would have been in his early years. Much of the Queens time was focused on court entertainment, participating in masques, and commissioning leading architects to deliver fantastic set design. Among them was Inigo Jones (1573-1652), who also designed the Queens House in Greenwich for Anne, begun in 1616. The poet behind this text, John Taylor, a generally forgotten early seventeenth century author [ ] who in his long life from 1580 to 1653 established himself as one of the most prolific writers of the English Renaissance, was known in his time as the Water Poet. He was pioneering in his simplified and miniature versions of the Bible. Corrected 1614 edition unrecorded in ESTC or STC. The uncorrected 1614 edition is recorded only at University of Aberdeen, the corrected 1616 edition (the next after ours) is recorded only at the British Library and Huntington.
ALMANSA Y MENDOZA, Andres de
FIRST EDITION. 4to. pp. [2] 46. Roman letter, little italic. English translation of Spanish original, index of ships and commanders, summary of Charles stops between Madrid and Saint Andrea with distances in leagues. Contemporary mss. signature to verso of final leaf, bookplate of William Foyle to front pastedown. Age yellowing, extreme outer corners often slightly dog-eared and a bit dusty, t-p outer edges slightly darkened. A good, clean, well-margined copy in early morocco, gilt rulings to covers and spine. In folding box. The English translation of the report by Mendoza (16th C-1627) a Spanish journalistic writer, transmitted in his letters to his friend Alonso Nelli de Rivadeneyra (1601-1662) and pamphlets describing the conclusion of the Spanish Match negotiation between Charles I (1600-1649) and Maria Anna of Spain (1606-1646), and the resulting exchange of gifts, horses with velvet coats and various silver objects, and the Princes return to Britain. Six of the reports and letters penned by Mendoza between 1621-24 concern themselves with Charles time in Spain. The work opens with an account of the strong love felt between the Spanish Princess and English Prince, in largely propagandic style, before providing historical details. Mendoza appears to have been an eyewitness, receiving 3000 Ryalls as a gift and personally congratulating Charles on his espousal. An engaging narration of Charles journey back to Portsmouth ensues, following him over his terrestrial leg of the journey from Madrid until St Andrea, then his voyage by sea to Portsmouth. Whether propaganda or not, this text offers fascinating insight into the short-lived success of the negotiation. While a contract for the marriage had apparently been signed, it was overshadowed by a history of failed marital unions between the two countries. Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragons divorce, Mary and Philip IIs failed betrothal, as well as recent memory of conflict with the Armada, all contributed to a lack of confidence in the plan. It was later rejected by the privy council, who did not support King James in his pro-Spanish foreign policy and had issues with the Princesss Catholic faith. This copy once belonged to the leading 20thC bookseller and collector William Foyle (1885-1963), founder of Foyles bookstores. The bookplate indicates that the book was at Beeleigh Abbey, a 12thC monastery, where he kept his personal collection. ESTC: S107749; STC: 5025; Goldsmith: 161; A. F. Allison English Translations from the Spanish and Portuguese to the year 1700: 9; not in Lowndes.
[MORE, Cresacre]
4to. pp.[8] 432. Roman letter, some italic. Ornaments and woodcut historiated initials at beginning of each chapter and printed summary, printed marginalia throughout. Slight age yellowing, top edge of t-p darkened and occasional marking. A clean, crisp copy in contemporary morocco, central stamped and gilt lozenge with floral motif to both covers, spine and borders ruled in gilt. Early red label, joints rubbed`, one slightly cracked, wear to corners, a.e.r. A good copy of the uncommon second edition of this biography of Sir - and later Saint - Thomas More, High Chancellor to Henry VIII from October 1529-May 1532, by his great-grandson. It had been erroneously ascribed to More s brother, whom Cresacre attributes the work to in the opening epistle, but the printed signature M.C.M.E points to the Latin name Magister Cresacre More Eborancensis . The work was dedicated to queen Henrietta Maria (1609-1649), who was openly and devoutly Catholic. More, who was knighted in 1521, was later Speaker of the House of Commons, High Steward of Cambridge University and Lord Chancellor [ ] a saint to the Catholic and a predecessor of Marx to the Communist (Printing and the Mind of Man 47). He was ultimately executed in 1535, largely due to his refusal to acknowledge Henry VIII as head of the Catholic Church in England. Cresacre More sets out his treatise in 12 chapters, exploring aspects of his forefather s education, career and character, and concludes with a short bibliographical chapter on his main written works: Life of Richard III , Utopia and rebuttal of Luther s attack on Henry VIII. The biography begins with More s early years, exploring his lineage, education at St. Anthony s and religious training under Cardinal Morton (c.1420-1500), Archbishop of Canterbury and High Chancellor. He is praised for his integrity within the legal profession and for his patience, mirth and piety. The text briefly recounts his friendships and difficult relationship with Henry VII in the first four chapters. The remaining eight focus on his life under Henry VIII, particularly as Chancellor, an office which necessitated constant relations with his majesty, who treated him with exceptional familiarity (Gillow). Through this period, More s relationship with the English monarch deteriorated, with the final four chapters detailing his refusal to attend the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533, his imprisonment in the Tower, shortly followed by his condemnation, death and martyrdom. More was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935 and further declared patron saint of statesmen and politicians by John Paul II in 2000. USTC: 3015583, STC: 18066, Lowndes 1603; Gibson: 106; Brunet: 1894; Gillow: V p.99ff.; Allison & Rogers II: 547; PMM: p.28.
OVID, Publius; SPRENG, Johannes.
16mo. ff. [16] 178 [6]. Roman and italic letter. 178 lively ½ page woodcuts in excellent impression, one at the head of each story. Authors address to reader, one story per leaf, including title, summary of narrative and commentary. Printers phoenix device and autograph of Hezeikiel Banaro cornus 1574 to t-p, index and verse by Spreng at end. Lightly age yellowed, pages slightly trimmed, well clear of text. Armorial bookplate of John Broadley to ffep. A very good, clean, crisp copy in handsome c.1800 red morocco, gilt floral garlands to corners of covers, gilt to spine, a.e.g. A finely adapted version of Ovids Metamorphoses in images, accompanied by a prose ekphrasis, followed by Latin verse distichs, closely based on the Ovidian texts with a verse commentary, by Johannes Spreng, a translator and notary from Augsburg, who worked on a variety of Classics, including the Iliad and Aeneid, translating them into German verse. Completed around 8AD, and often hailed as Ovids magnum opus, the original text serves as a poetic encyclopaedia of over 250 myths, beginning with the creation of the world and concluding with the deification of Julius Caesar, over 15 books. Although an abridgement, this version remains faithful to the original, and is no less complete. The Metamorphoses remain the authoritative text for most historical reception of the Classical myths in literature and art. This edition is dedicated to two members of the Habsburg family, Archdukes Rudolf (1552-1612) and Ernest (1553-1595) of Austria, sons of Maximilian II (1527-1576), whom Rudolf later succeeded as Holy Roman Emperor. The Habsburgs were known patrons of the arts, Philip II of Spain commissioned the painter Titian to create a series of artworks and was given complete creative freedom. He drew upon Ovids Metamorphoses, producing paintings between 1551-1562, known as his poesie, representing the stories of Europa, Diana and Actaeon, Danaё, Venus and Adonis, Callisto, and Perseus and Andromeda. A Habsburg interest in the classical myths seems to emerge, the first edition of Sprengs text appearing in 1563, only a year after the completion of Titians final painting. Sprengs native Augsburg was also one of the two places Philip met Titian face to face. The composition of the scenes which feature in Titians poesie is strikingly similar to the illustrtations of this edition, pointing to the accurate visualisation of the original text. However, these differ from the first 1563 edition images by Virgil Solis (1514-1562), which employ more dramatic chiaroscuro, with weightier, more detailed figures. The present cuts are the same as the 1566 edition in that the composition is inverted and with less dramatic rendering of light and shade. Sprengs allegoria reveal his interpretation of each story. For instance, in Apollo, who pursues Daphne, [he] sees Satan, who preys on the soul of man, and who reads from the death of Semele in Jupiters arms only the harmful consequences of the libido. Just as in Titians poesie, the myths were viewed through a Christian lens, with the intention of moralising potentially scandalous classical subject matter, which was so popular during the Renaissance. A stunning interpretation of the quintessential lore of Classical mythology with an additional Renaissance flourish. USTC: 199775; Brunet: IV 276; Pettegree: 81419; GGB: p. 290; Graesse: V 76; edition unrecorded in Adams, not in BM catalogue or Mortimer.
NORDEN, John
(1) FIRST EDITION. 4to. Pp. [8] 48 [4]. Roman letter, a little italic. Three strengthened double fold out copper plate maps of Middlesex, London and Westminster by Peter van den Keere (1571-c.1646), in strong impression, full-page arms of Elizabeth I to verso of dedication. Engraved t-p with classical architectural setting flanked by two men in three quarter profile and contemporary dress, weapons or tools suspended above. Detailed index at end, final leaf with verses and errata. (2) FIRST EDITION. 4to. Pp [8] 31 [1]. Roman letter, a little italic, mainly English text, some Latin. Title within geometric baroque frame with floral detail and a trefoil scene of a stag standing in a river. Foldout map of Hertfordshire by William Kip (active 1588-1635) in good impression, plate of arms of Elizabeth I. Historiated initials and ornaments to readers note and beginning of text. Dedication to Edward Seamor, readers note, and corrections preceding text. Final leaf strengthened, pages a little soiled. Armorial bookplate of Richard Croft and paper label of Eric Sexton (1902-1980) to front pastedown, of Nathan of Churt (1889-1963) and leather label of Eric Sexton to ffep. Good, well-margined copies, some age yellowing and marginal foxing, in later speckled calf, tan panel central to cover, gilt ruled with floreate corner pieces. Small repair to lower outer corner of upper cover, rebacked, gilt dentelles, a.e.g. A charming pair of works by renowned Elizabethan cartographer John Norden, surveying the history, political and geographical organisation, and general features of the counties of Middlesex, where Norden had his permanent home, and Hertfordshire. His other surveys, which included Essex, Northampton, Cornwall, Kent and Surrey, were published at various later dates [ ] Nordens intention was to compose a series of county histories, but lack of money intervened to prevent the completion of this design. These were the only two published in his lifetime. The first text lists the Saxon Alphabet before briefly laying out the (mostly Saxon) history of the county. The author lists and describes small scale geographical areas, such as hundreds, parks, roads, hills and market towns, as well local battles, ending with an alphabetical survey of settlements and houses of repute within the county, including coats of arms. He delves into the chronology of certain important sites, referring to a variety of sources such as Camden and Thomas Walsingham. The maps are early examples of Flemish engraver and globe-maker Pieter can den Keeres work, whose map of Ireland served as a model for later editions of Ortelius Theatrum. He also produced a series of 44 plates of the British Isles, based on the works of Saxton, Ortelius and Boazio, which began to appear from 1599. The map of Middlesex includes certain natural geographical features such as hills and forests, and the city of London is represented by a cluster of buildings, with London bridge visible crossing the river Thames. The city is shown is more detail in the second map complete with labels corresponding to letters on the map, which is surrounded by the arms of various guilds. The second work on Hertfordshire is dedicated to Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford. It opens with a historical description of the county, along with a list of fairs, market-towns, and more general small-scale divisions, before presenting the alphabetical list of towns and settlements. After each entry is a letter and a number, which refers to a square on the gridded map, enabling the reader to locate each place. It ends with an alphabetical table of Houses and Beryes, an old English suffix denoting a town, which are organised in the same fashion. It features William Kips earliest published map, who later went on to have his work published in Camdens atlas, Britannia. His style closely follows that of renowned cartographer Christopher Saxton (c.1540-1610), retaining much of the same detail.
FEYNES, Henri de; TOURVAL, Jean Loiseau de
FIRST EDITION. Small 4to. pp. [10] 40 [2], final blank. Roman letter, little italic. Historiated woodcut initials and ornaments. Age yellowed, t-p lightly dusty, occasional marginal stain. Trimmed, with loss of much of imprint date, missing running title on some upper margins, lesser shaving to marginal notes, and signatures. Contemporary mss. est liber meus to final leaf of text and Willi Aerton to recto blank. A good copy in contemporary vellum. First edition of a pioneering first-hand account of explorer Henri de Feynes voyage to the East Indies and China, the first Frenchman to visit them. It was translated by Jean Loiseau de Tourval, a Frenchman renowned at the time within English literary circles for his extensive translations, who came to London in 1603 and spied for King James I. In fact, this edition precedes the French original, which was not published until 1630. Until the late 16th century, travel to these parts of the world had been limited to a handful of European explorers such as Marco Polo (1254-1324) and Niccolo de Conti (c.1395-1469) and missionary priests. De Feynes journey marks the beginning of greater Western interest in the far East, as merchants increasingly followed in his footsteps. Setting out from Paris in 1608, possibly at the behest of King Henry IV, de Feynes spent three months travelling by land through the Middle East, joining the Baghdad caravan at Aleppo on the way to Isfahan, before advancing through Hormuz and onto India. He continues onto Goa and travels across India, touring Sri Lanka and the islands of Southern Asia, before settling briefly in Canton, modern Guangzhou, in early 1609. The city was the only place foreign merchants and travellers were allowed to stay, and it remains one of the worlds busiest mercantile hubs. He returned via ship, by way of Mozambique, to Lisbon. On his travels, the author comments extensively on the size and beauty of each city, comparing their magnitude to cities in France, as well as local customs, religion, and exotic foods such as melon and pineapple. He makes one of the earliest references to coffee, which he calls caahiette. Particular admiration is expressed for the Mogul palace, likely belonging to Jahangir (1569-1627), the fourth Mogul emperor. He also notes the extensive Dutch and Portuguese presence in many of the East Indian islands. Arriving in China, he describes the thriving silk industry and how silk is made, in addition to the traditional practice of female foot-binding and cormorant fishing, a technique whereby a loose snare is fastened to the bird, preventing him from swallowing larger fish, allowing fishermen to access to those that are regurgitated. A rare account of early travel and exploration in the Far East. ESTC: S102015; Cox: p.266; Lowndes: IV 1583; Cordier: 872; not in Blackmer.
[LUPTON, Donald]
FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. 4to. Pp [8], 64, 77-324, 321-336, 329-440, 451-538, complete. Roman letter, little italic. 44 ½ page engraved portraits of male religious figures. Text ruled in black, t-p with images of the saints in heaven and 4 ecclesiastical roundel portraits, engraved by George Glover (active 1625-1650), who specialised in portraiture and likely executed the other plates. Historiated initials and textual ornaments throughout, two contemporary marginalia. Light age browning, some contemporary underlining in pen, monogram gilt spine and early C19 bookplate on front pastedown of Samuel Rigby. A good, clean, well-margined copy in later vellum over boards, red morocco label. A fascinating ecclesiastical biobibliography, recording the lives, written works and deeds of the most important early Christian writers, Church Fathers and martyrs from the 1st until the 13th C, beginning with Philo of Alexandria and ending with Thomas Aquinas, including figures from across Europe and northern Africa. The text is chronological, and each new biography is headed by an engraved portrait of the figure discussed. The contents page categorises authors by century and uses a separate dating system, counting from the date of creation rather than the birth of Christ, for Philo and Josephus, presumably as they were Jewish. It sets out a brief biography for each figure, followed by a detailed list of works, numbered, and set out into columns, sometimes with a brief explanation as to the content. Lupton often refers to contemporary catalogues by Johannes Trithemius (1462-1516), who composed chronicles of German and French regions, with a focus on illustrious men, Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), best known for his Disputationes, which explored controversies of the Christian Faith, and Jacobus Pamelius (1536-1587), who edited the works of St Cyprian and Tertullian, as well as existing literature by other ecclesiastical writers such as Eusebius. The author was an obscure clergyman who published a number of works between 1632 and 1658 upon a variety of subjects, including devotion, ecclesiastical history, warfare, topography, and geography. With many of its subjects eventually canonised, the writers style is extremely complimentary and often hagiographical. The introduction identifies the works purpose to satisfie the Readers curiosity, but even draw him to wonder and admiration. 44 out of 45 portraits, described as probably fictitious, depict white men, but Tertullians darker complexion is particularly striking. A Christian convert from the 3rd C Roman Africa, scholars have debated the matter of his ethnicity. Lupton refers to him simply as an African, but other scholarly sources have hinted at Berber origin. Tertullian refers to himself in his De Pallio as Punic among Romans, but this provides little insight. A work of great bibliographical interest with a beautiful set of engraved portraits. ESTC: S108921; Lowndes: 1414; Hind III: p.243; Johnson: Glover 15; not in Bestermann
Folio, 294 x 203mm. 255 unnumbered ll., gatherings of 8 ll., last of 7, text complete. Manuscript on ivory paper, black and gold ink, Arabic, 13 lines per full page, first, middle and last line in muhaqqaq, remainder in naskh, circular verse markers in gold, ruled in green, red and gold. First verso and second recto with splendid illumination: outer border with interlacing fleurons in orange, red, white and yellow over a black background, and quadrilobed decoration over red and green; upper and lower panels within gilt, finely tooled ropework, and polychrome interlacing fleurons over blue, gilt panels in white Eastern Kufic over green interlacing centrifugal tendrils, small circular eptalobed motif with clovers over a black background, geometrical quadrilobed decoration with white interlacing tendrils over red; two lateral panels with polychrome fleurons over a blue or black background, small arabesque gilt almond and palmettes; text of the first and (beginning of) second surah within gilt cloud decoration. Traces of mistarah, all leaves inset within probably C18 watermarked laid paper, initial and final fore-edges minimally frayed, occasional thumb marks, last two ll. replaced in impeccable black and gold naskh on laid paper c.1680. Very minor loss to border decoration of second leaf towards lower inner gutter, illuminated border trimmed close, couple of very tiny worm holes, occasional small clean tears without loss, some expertly repaired, a very few restorations, the odd minor ink splash or mark. A very good copy in an uncommon C18 composite full leather binding, reusing c.1600 Safavid doublures and covers, olive green goatskin to boards, single and double gilt ruled, decorated with gilt arabesque cornerpiece inlays, arabesque almond-shaped centrepiece inlay with (above and below) gilt arabesque fleuron and elongated geometrical medallion inlay; flat spine (two-piece), rear board extending into flap (using outer edges of doublure as turn-outs) with olive green goatskin decorated with gilt arabesque cornerpiece and medallion inlays. Doublures in fine light brown goatskin, continuing onto the inner flap, outer border with gilt filegree decoration over alternating green and blue, central panel gilt-ruled with filigree cornerpieces and almond-shaped centrepiece over blue background. Spine and tiny portion of cover edges repaired (C18), minor scuffing occasionally affecting gilt filigree, lower joint of flap a bit cracked but firm. A beautiful, finely decorated manuscript Quran, on ivory paper, in a very uncommon decorated binding with fore-edge flap. The use of muhaqqaq for the first, middle and last line of each text page, and the lingering presence of Eastern Kufic in the cartouches at head and foot, point to c.1500. Close decorative patterns were traced in manuscripts produced c.1500-1540s in late Timurid / early Safavid Herat, in present day Afghanistan, e.g., Cleveland Museum of Art 1924.746. The prevalence of gatherings of 8 ll. is also more frequent in Central Asian manuscripts. The interesting composite binding is an uncommon, skilled technique, of which Dr K. Scheper only records 5 known instances at Leiden UL and 1 at LC. Composite bindings are intriguing and complicated', and 'the technique itself is easily overlooked because the final result is not decidedly different from that of a typical well-made decorated full-leather binding (Scheper, p.256). Here the binding bears central gilt-tooled inlays in olive green goatskin, single gilt ruled at their juncture with the lighter brown goatskin of the board edges, both types of leather having been paired to the same thickness. The lighter leather at the board edges comes in fact from the turn-outs of the doublures, folded over to create contrasting colours (Scheper, pp.256-8, n.37). Similar doublures, with the same colour patterns and quadrilobed decoration, have been traced to Safavid Herat, c.third quarter of the C16 (Louvre, shelfmark AD 6262).
CATULLUS, Gaius Valerius, TIBULLUS, Albius, PROPERTIUS, Sextus. [with] LUCANUS.
16th-CENTURY BINDING 8vo. 2 vols in 1. I: first issue with Propetius uncorrected on t-p, replacement t-p, corrected, at rear. 3 parts in one, 44 unnumbered ll., A-E8 F4; 36 unnumbered ll., A-D8 E4; 72 unnumbered ll., a-i8. Italic letter, occasional Roman. Small ink smudge and hole to blank section of title, affecting couple of words to verso, light age yellowing. II: 132 unnumbered ll., a-r8, s4. Italic letter, occasional Roman. Handsome copies in slightly later Italian (likely Bolognese) goatskin, lacking ties, double blind ruled, outer blind roll of interlacing vine leaves, central panel with (front) small gilt-stamped ivy leaves to corners and CAT. TIB. PROP. LVCA gilt to centre, and (rear) identical gilt leaves to corners and gilt-stamped sun to centre, raised bands, compartments double blind-ruled, traces of paper label at head, a.e.g. (oxydised), minor expert restoration to head and foot of spine, and corners. Ms Latin ex-libris of Xanthe (Santi) Voconius to first title, two additional ms annotations in his hand to penultimate leaf of first part (Italian verse) and last of second part (Latin quotation from Pontanus), his occasional ms marginalia throughout. The charming binding was probably produced in Bologna c.1530-40 by the Pflug and Ebeleben binder. To that workshop are also attributed two bindings at the Bib. dell'Archiginnasio (16.i.III.7, 4.Q.V.27), which share the same blind roll of vine leaves, a typically Bolognese motif. The early owner, Sante Voconio, is indeed recorded at Bologna in the 1530s. His vernacular literary skills of which we have a rare ms example in this copy (Quandio veggio la terra / Vestir dinuovo in falda un bianco.) - were commended by the Italian scholar Claudio Tolomei (1492-1556) in his printed correspondence. Although he offered to facilitate the printing of Voconios works, nothing has apparently survived. Very good copy of this Aldine first edition (first issue) of the poems of Catullus, Tibullus and Propertiusthe three most important elegiac authors of the late Roman republic and early imperial era. The ed. Of 1502 was composed by Aldus and Aavantius; the former wrote the preface, the latter the epistle, at the end of Catullus, to Marino Sanudo, a Venetian nobleman (Dibdin). First printed by Wendelin of Speyer in Venice in 1472, Catullus, Propertius and Tibulluss poems revealed a new poetic feeling rejecting the heroic character of the epic tradition in favour of a more familiar tone and intimate subjects like love, erotic desire, rejection and mourning. Catulluss (84-54BC) carmina, 116 of which are extant, include verse on his love and desire for Lesbia, and lampoons against public figures like Julius Caesar. Tibullus (55-19BC) verse survives in four books, only the first two of which are of safe attribution, and is mostly devoted to his intense and star-crossed love for the married Delia. Propertius (c.50-15BC) enjoyed the protection of Maecenas and Augustus and is most famous for his four books of poems, many written for his beloved Cynthia. This elegiac collection format was successfully republished in Europe throughout the century. Bound together is a copy of the first Aldine edition of Pharsalia, an epic poem by the 1st-century Roman author Lucan on the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, a complex blend of fiction and historical reality. This ed. is 'formed chiefly on the Venetian one of 1493, with the commentaries of Sulpitius; but Aldus in his preface mentions some corrections wich are made from an ancient and valuable ms. communicated to him by Mauroceno, to whom he dedicates the work (Dibdin). I: Renouard 39:16; Brunet I, 1677: Édition dont les beaux exemplaires sont rares et recherchés; Dibdin I, 72; Ahmanson-Murphy 52. II: Ahmanson-Murphy 56; Renouard 33:3; Dibdin I, p.238. L. Simeoni, Storia della università di Bologna: L'età moderna, 1500-1888 (1947)
MARINELLA, Lucrezia.
IN DEFENCE OF WOMEN 4to. pp. [8], 326. Italic letter, little Roman. Woodcut printers device to title, decorated initials and ornaments. Light age yellowing, occasional damp mark or foxing. A very good copy in contemporary vellum, early ms title to spine, C19 armorial label of Joaquim Gomez de la Cortina and ms 38 to front pastedown, c1800 ms bibliographical note to fly, and Ex Bibliotheca D. Corratin suprema Parisiensi curia Praesidis to title verso. A very good copy of the second, revised and augmented edition of this wonderful book in praise of women, by a major female author. The Venetian Lucrezia Marinella (or Marinelli, 1571-1653) was daughter of Giovanni Marinelli, a physician who wrote popular works on womens illnesses. She never married, and lived a secluded life devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and literature, whilst encouraging other talented female writers of her time. A key theme of her works was the defence of women. First published in 1600, La Nobilità [.] delle donne rebutted a work on womens defects by Giuseppe Passi. Part I celebrates women, describing their resilience in a mans world, from the names they are called (donna, donno, giovinetta) to their nature and beauty, and the sayings and proverbs created by men about women, moving on to various categories of women, illustrated through examples from literature and popular 'wisdom. These include women learned in the sciences and the arts (some who have not read much history think there were never women knowledgeable in the sciences and the arts), and women who are meek, strong, fearless, prudent, courteous, and just. A chapter is devoted to the tolerance, resilience and suffering of women, and how they love the men in their lives, and a rebuttal of the feeble reasons men have contrived to feel superior to women, with a confutation of theories by Tasso and Boccaccio. Part II is a ruthless list of categories of men avaricious, greedy, incontinent, arrogant, lazy, ambitious, cruel, unjust, evil, stubborn, ungrateful, rude, and then thieves, murderers, witches, charmers, liars, heretics, tearful, false, chatty, hypocrites, holier-than thou, ignorant and flatterers. Interesting is a section on men who are well-dressed, trimmed, and wear make-up and bleached hair, and generally vain. A most interesting, quite unusual work, as written by a woman. The Mexican Joaquim Gomez de La Cortina, later marquess of Morante, was a major C19 bibliophile, with a library of over 100,000 books on the classics or unusual subjects. He died after a fall from the ladder in his library. Four copies recorded in the US. USTC 4035192; Gay IV, 419; Erdmann, p.111. Not in Hull.
ESTIENNE, Robert.
AGAINST THE CENSORS FIRST EDITION. 8vo. pp. 255, [1]. Italic letter, little Roman. Woodcut printer s device to title, early ms ownership erased below, marginal small ink splashes to first ll., light age yellowing. A good copy in modern calf, C17 ms Ex libris Theodori Jansoni Almeloveen and shelfmark o.2.2. to title. A good copy of the first edition of this important treatise on theology, biblical interpretation, and the printing of the Scriptures. Robert Estienne (1503-59) took over the family press after the death of his father, Henri, with the same attention for detail and philological accuracy. Robert turned Protestant later in life, and printed the bible several times, with additional commentaries, harshly criticised by Catholic theologians. In 1552, he fled to Geneva to escape their censorship and print more freely, with the assistance and support of other Protestant refugees. Ad censuras - Against the censorship of Parisian theologians - was published as an apologia of his printing of the Scriptures during the previous decades. The work begins with a summary of the discord with the Sorbonne theologians, who became especially keen to censure his work only in the 1540s, e.g., with a ban on his 1546 bible. The theologians main concerns were that the annotations, summaries and indexes contained a high proportion of heretical propositions and that the text of the Vulgate as commonly received had at some points been modified (Armstrong, p.200). Ad censuras proceeds to answer the theologians criticism of 1547, point by point, passage by passage, providing the printed version, the censura (e.g., heretical annotation, clearly Lutheran ) and his own defense, in a tour-de-force of theology and philology. He also argues against later censorship connected with the Index of Prohibited Books, refuting that his publications should be considered first or second class , hence censored. No other earlier eds were printed, except the French translation. An important document for the history and methods of ecclesiastical censorship, and a snapshot of scriptural exegesis, Catholic and Protestant, in the mid-C16. Theodorus Janssonius van Almeloveen (1657-1712) was professor at Harderwijk and the author of the first bio-biography of the Estiennes, De vitis Stephanorum (1683). Harvard, Columbia, UNC, Newberry, Illinois, Bancroft, Kansas, SMU and other copies recorded in the US. USTC 450398; Gilmont 1896; Renouard 81:5. E. Armstrong, Robert Estienne (1552).
COLONNA, Vittoria.
8vo. 48 unnumbered ll., lacking final blank. Italic letter. Title within decorated woodcut border. Light yellowing, occasional slight marginal finger-soiling or minor ink marks, small holes to t-p (one just touching title border) and very minor worming to extreme upper and lower blank corners of title and following. A good wide margined copy in C18 pink paper boards, ms waste visible within pastedowns, C18 printed paper label with ms Colonna to spine, a.e.r., a little scuffed, C16 ms autograph Jo[annes] Boccalone Boccalari at foot of title. A good copy of the third edition of this most popular poetic collection by the Italian poetess and noblewoman Vittoria Colonna (1492-1547), marchioness of Pescara. Based in Ischia, near Naples, and married to a military captain who died in 1525, Vittoria Colonna also travelled to Rome, Ferrara and Venice, for scholarly and philanthropic purposes. Among her literary acquaintances were Pietro Bembo, Luigi Alamanni, Ludovico Ariosto (who praised her in his Orlando Furioso), Baldassare Castiglione and Marguerite de Navarre, as well as Italian Reformers such as Ochino. First published in 1538, without her consent, her Rime were very successful throughout the C16. The poems, based on the Petrarchan model, comprise love lyrics in memory of her husband, Ferrante Francesco dAvalos, who is transformed into a spiritual guide for the grieving lover in the manner of Petrarchs Laura (Morrone, p.492). The first poem begins with an explanation of her literary efforts: I write solely to give vent to my inner pain. Generally, her metaphors focus around the eyes, the sun, the heavens and light more generally, whether spiritual or more earthly. Her later rimes reflect the passing of time and the transformation of her love into a more spiritual and religious kind, imbued with Christian Neo-Platonism. It seems clear that Colonna perceived some fundamental difference between the acceptable and decorous dissemination of works in manuscript and the wholly unwelcome shift into print production, no doubt for reasons of aristocratic status as well as the modesty of her sex, leading to the authors distance from such printed works, and her refusal to collaborate on any level, even after Bembos encouragement (Brundin, p.31). In the last years of her life, Vittoria Colonna became closely acquainted with Cardinal Reginald Pole, then based in Viterbo with a cricle of reformers; with him she entertained an extensive correspondence and to whom, she stated, she owed her own salvation. An important collection, by one of the major female authors of the C16. USTC 823531; EDIT16 CNCE 14909 (attributed to the Venetian printer N. Zoppino); Erdmann 104. Not in Gay, Hull or Gamba. Encyclopedia of Italian Literary Studies, ed. G. Morrone (2007); A. Brundin, Vittoria Colonna and the Spiritual Poetics of the Italian Reformation (2016).
AUGUSTA, Eudocia; FALCONIA, Proba; NONNUS OF PANOPOLIS
BY EARLY CHRISTIAN WOMEN 16mo. 3 parts in 1, pp. [8], 73, [5], 28, [4], 247, [1]. Greek Letter, with Roman. Printers device to title, decorated initials and ornaments. Slight age yellowing, title a trifle dusty, minor bleeding from fore-edge paint to a8. A very good copy in elegant early C18 French crimson morocco, trible gilt ruled, inner edges gilt, spine gilt, gilt-lettered green morocco labels, marbled eps, a.e.g. C18 armorial bookplate of Thomas South to front pastedown, R.J. Hayhurst bookplate, red-ink ms 2889 and pencilled autograph JA Natwood 1859 to ffep, 1803 ms acquisition note to fly, early C17 ms French Jesuit ownership and shelfmark to title (faded). A charming copy of the first Estienne edition, the first to include this combination of texts, of this important florilegium of early Christian Greek and Latin poetry. The first work, Omerokentra, epitomizes Christian re-readings of Homer. In the Preface, Estienne explains that he sought to satisfy the wish of the Friends of Homer (i.e., scholars and philologists) who could not get hold easily of Aldine and German editions. Homeric centos were short poems, with a thematic title, made up entirely of Greek verse taken word by word from the Odyssey and the Iliad. Written by Eudocia Augusta (5thC), wife of Emperor Theodosius II, these Greek centones include poems which reflect on topics such as God, the Holy Trinity, the Wedding at Canaa and Lazarus, by using only direct quotes from Homer. Part II comprises 'Cento Vergilianus de laudibus Christi, produced from Virgilian lines (with only minimal variations) by Proba Falconia (Falconia Betitia Proba, 4th cent.), the earliest female Christian poetess whose work survives. The poem includes stories from the Old and New Testament. Part III comprises the paraphrasis of St Johns Gospel by Nonnus of Panopolis (c.5thC AD), an important witness to the Greek poetry of late antiquity, here accompanied by a Latin translation. A charming, exquisitely bound pocket edition of important texts for the literature of Christian humanism. Thomas South (fl. C18) of Gosport, Hampshire, was a collector of spiritualist, alchemical and hermetic texts, as well as philosophical and classical works. A work like centones - presenting spiritual interpretations of classical works was very apt in his library. He was the father of the hermetist Mary Anne Atwood (b.1817), and the author of an alchemical poem. His daughter, with whom he collaborated, wrote Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery published anonymously in 1850. Most copies were burnt by them for fear they had revealed too many secrets. Renouard 147:4; USTC 450766; Gilmont 2678.
DIURNAL, Use of Sarum.
APPARENTLY UNIQUE [Paris], François Regnault, [1528]. 16mo. 40mm x 66mm. A-M 8 , a-y 8 , A-M 8 . Black and red Gothic letter, Latin text. Woodcut printers device to t-p and verso of final leaf, floriated initials throughout, contemporary marginal mss. to B 5 . Edges of first few leaves a little frayed, slight age browning, final leaf torn at blank upper outer corner, edges untrimmed and a little soiled. Bookplate of Ampleforth Abbey Library to front pastedown. A good, well-margined, clean copy in C20 olive morocco by Potter & Sons, York, spine gilt, metal clasps. The only known copy of this miniature liturgical book printed in Paris, made specifically for an English market, containing the daytime offices of the rite of Sarum, the pre-Reformation rite for most of England south of the river Trent. It was designed to render yet more compendious the already epitomised Breviary, and to make the Portos yet more portable [ ] we may infer that the parish priest who owned a Journal would say his Matins in the church where his Breviary and Missal lay, before his Mass, and that, after that, he could use his handy little Diurnale for Sext, Nones, Evensong, and Compline, wherever he might chance to be at his usual times of prayer (Christopher Wordsworth, Old Service Books of the English Church, 101-2). The work splits the year into a winter and summer liturgical cycle, the former beginning in early December at Advent, and continuing until Easter. The summer officia (official prayers of the Church) open with the celebration of Easter itself, the Ascension and Pentecost, until the end of the season in August. Weeks are assigned a number or given a name relating to an upcoming religious celebration. A calendar in traditional Roman format follows, which lists all prayers required for each day of the year; each month is titled with its number of days and moons. Saints days are also recorded along with the relevant prayers, which are found in the last part of the work. These include dedications to St Andrew, Osmund, Nicholas, Barnabas, the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, John, Paul, Peter, and Mary Magdalene. Local British saints are also venerated, such as St Alban, the first recorded British Christian martyr, St Etheldreda, an East Anglian princess and Northumbrian Queen who founded Ely cathedral in 673AD, and St. Cuthbert, the patron Saint of Northumbria. Prior to these are the prayers assigned to specific parts of the day, which include the Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Vespers, Vigils and Complines. This layout of canonical hours marking divisions of the day through prayer is standard practice in Christianity, setting up a quotidian structure for the lives of monastic communities. No other known locations. ESTC: S90415, USTC: 203148, not in Adams.
FLETCHER, John
FIRST EDITION. Small 4to. pp. [4] 67 [1]. Roman letter, little italic. Printers device to t-p of unicorn and thistles, and mss 55 to lower inner corner, floral ornament of thistles and roses to p.1, epilogue to verso of final leaf, framed by ornament of roses, thistles and crowns and cornice supported by two lunettes. Occasional mss. textual correction in contemporary hand. Slight age yellowing, repair to A3 without loss. A good, clean copy in crushed blue morocco by The French Binder Garden City NY. Gilt ruling to covers and lettering to upper cover and spine, inner dentelles richly gilt. Regarded as one of his finest works, Fletchers play derives its name from the old saying every man can rule a shrew but he who has her, meaning that the reality of advising a married couple and carrying out the same advice once married are two very different tasks. This Jacobean comedy, set near Medina, follows two pairs of lovers joined in marriage under false pretences: Margarita, a rich heiress, plans to marry Leon, as a cover for her promiscuous relationships. They are brought together by Altea, her Lady in Waiting, and Leons brother. Her newlywed husband is not as dim-witted as he presents himself and discovers his wifes sexual adventures as she attempts to seduce the Duke at an elaborate dinner party. Her lascivious appetite is ultimately quenched and the couple finish the play in a happy marriage. At the same time, Margaritas servant, Estefania, pretends to be a rich heiress to marry Captain Perez, who seeks to escape duties at war by marrying a wealthy woman. Discovered by Perez, Estefania resorts to selling trinkets belonging to her mistress to the usurer Cacafogo, and demonstrating her intelligence in this pursuit, secures a happy marriage to Perez. In the end, the audience is presented with two couples with opposing power dynamics: one where the husband rules his wife and the other where the wife rules her husband, revealing a surprisingly modern attitude towards the dynamics between genders and within marital relationships. The comparison between the terrors of war and venereal disease, as discussed by the soldiers Sanchio and Laonzo, is a particularly playful example of the witty treatment of the popular combination of Love and War. The play was first performed in 1624, shortly before Fletchers death, but first published in 1640. It was the last of his 15 solo works, having also written several plays alongside the likes of Francis Beaumont (c.1585-1616) and even William Shakespeare (1564-1616). He was the house playwright for the acting company the Kings Men, likely taking over from Shakespeare himself. Overall, his plays fall into similar categories of Comedies, Tragedies and Histories, with many plotlines taking inspiration from the Bard himself. ESTC: S102374, Harvey: p.303, not in Grolier nor Lowndes
PICCOLOMINI, Alessandro.
Venice, Domenico Farri, [n.d., but after 1555]. 8vo. ff. 46. Italic letter, little Roman. Woodcut printers device and ornaments to title, decorated initials. Slight browning to second half, principally in last gathering, occasional slight marginal foxing. A good copy in early C19 ¼ sheep over marbled paper boards, marbled eps, spine gilt-lettered, a little scuffed. A good copy of this popular and interesting work on women, their youth, bearing, social life and adultery, which was considered quite scandalous in its day. First published in 1539, and also known as La Raffaella, it is here in its fifth ed., all early eds being scarce. Alessandro Piccolomini (1508-78) was a member of the Accademia degli Intronati, and his Dialogo was intended as a playful literary entertainment creating a topsy-turvy world in which the widsom of old age is not spiritual, but very material. In the work, Raffaella, an older woman, gives advice to a younger woman, Margarita, on ways to enjoy herself while she still has time. The incipt sets the light tone, with Raffaella answering to Margarita asking after her health in typical Italian fashion: Full of sins and fatigue, like all old women and Old, poor and with my head nearing the grave by the hour. Margaritas beauty reminds Raffaella of her own youth and the amusements she shunned at parties and feasts, till it was too late (i.e., age thirty). She explains that betraying ones husband is not sinful as marriages are combined with men who will never be their wifes true love. As clarified at the end, Raffaellas aim is to give advice as to how a woman can accomplish this adultery with cleverness and prudence so as to preserve secrecy (though the chosen man should not be married), as she becomes, at some point, the anti-model of a confessor, giving advice on sinning (McClure, pp.36-7). Tthese observations concealed a wealth of small details on womens social life in the Renaissance: e.g., it is very bad when a woman keeps wearing the same dress too long, and even worse when otheres can see she turned that same dress into another by dyeing or turning it inside out; what clothes best suit specific complexions; recipes for roasted pigeons and aromatic waters; countenance when walking in the street (e.g., with ones mouth open or pouting); how to show off ones chest without seeming too toward, etc. A most interesting and entertaining work. No copies of this ed. apparently recorded in the US. USTC 848313; EDIT16 37664 (after 1555, when Farri started his printing activity); Gay VI, 56; Erdmann 85 (1540 ed.); Gamba 1571 (molto raro). Not in Hull. G. McClure, Parlour Games and the Public Life of Women in Renaissance Italy (2013).
ADSON, John.
FIRST EDITION. Small 4to, pp. [16]. Some Roman and little Italic letter, letterpress diamond head musical notation for 30 dances, numbered 1-20 for 5, then 1-10 for 6 parts. Title framed in elaborate Roman arch covered in ivy, flanked by mythical creatures, motto NON VI SED VIRTUTIS in roundel containing animal battle scene, t-p a little soiled, small repair to blank lower outer corner. Age yellowing, fore-edge uncut and a little frayed, light foxing. A good, well-margined copy in modern half-calf, marbled boards, gilt title to spine within gilt rules. Very rare copy of this wonderful collection of airs to accompany masquing dances for brass instruments, specifically cornets and sackbuts, a precursor to the modern trombone, in 5- and 6-part compositions. Masques were a form of courtly entertainment popular in the 16 th and 17 th centuries, ceasing in England during the Civil Wars. Like a ball, it involved music, dancing, singing and acting, often with disguises and a customary complimentary offering to the patron. Performers themselves would have also been disguised and often of the same sex, arriving together with torchbearers on an elaborately set stage, reflected in the sumptuous and dramatic classically inspired arch framing the title of the work. These events reached their height under the Stuarts, with renowned architects often being involved in the architectural set design, such as Inigo Jones. The composer, John Adson (c.1587-1640), was initially a cornett player in the service of Charles III, Duke of Lorraine, before moving to London and joining the City Waits, an early music ensemble, which he remained a part of until his death and was also associated with the Kings Company. Besides this work, only four other pieces are attributed to him, the Courtly Masquing Ayres being his best-known work. It opens with a dedication to George Villiers (1592-1628), Marquess of Buckingham, a renowned patron of the arts and favourite of King James I. He commissioned masques where he played a leading role, perhaps as a means of political and courtly advancement, possibly performing to the very music in this work, as he was known to have appeared as a dancer. Only 3 copies recorded in US at Brown, Case Western Reserve and Purdue. ESTC: S115265, Grove: pp.61, A Biographical Dictionary of English Court Musicians: pp.8-9
HOMER.
8vo. ff. 251, [1]. Greek letter. Printers device to title and last verso, with contemporary hand- colouring. Title and last verso a little dusty at margins, light age yellowing, occasional mostly marginal minor foxing, finger-soiling, light water staining to upper outer blank corner and fore-edge of last two gatherings in places. A very good copy in charming, unsophisticated contemporary northern or upper central Italian goatskin, lacking ties, double and triple blind ruled, outer border with blind roll of arabesque ropework, central panel with cross-hatched blind rolls of arabesque ropework and small blind-stamped fleurons, and small blind-stamped lilies at head and foot, raised bands, compartments cross-hatched in blind, blind rolls with arabesque ropework, tools in deep, crisp impression. Tiny loss to upper cover and head and foot of spine, corners a little worn. C20 Greek bookplate 1925 of Spyridon Loverdos to front pastedown, ink stamp to rear pastedown, and ms die 14o septembres in a contemporary hand underneath, with C17 ex-libris Caesaris Picj (Cesare Picchi?), Greek motto to title. The charming, unsophisticated, contemporary binding is northern or central Italian. Whilst the arabesque ropework is also found in mainland Veneto (e.g., Bologna, Archiginnasio MS A197) and Milan (combined with ropework border: see Davis III, 244; bound for Jean Grolier: Needham 41), the decorative style, and the central cross-hatching, is reminiscent of Tuscany (e.g., de Marinis I, 1119). Second Aldine edition of Homers works the Odyssey, Batrachomyomachia and Hymns generally found with a companion volume including the Iliad. This ed. includes many corrections and improvements, [ ] and it is better and rarer than that of 1504, which was used as a starting point, and much more correct than the third of 1524 (Renouard). Then and now, Homer has remained an obscure figure in the history of Western poetry. Whilst his Iliad and Odyssey are dated to the C9-8BC, it is uncertain whether there ever was a blind bard of such genius or whether his persona came to be used to identify the output of a long standing oral epic tradition. The Odyssey famously recounts the adventurous journey of Ulysses, King of Ithaca, to his native island after the end of the Trojan War, facing sirens, cyclops and many other perils. Batrachomyomachia narrates a battle between Mice and Frogs, assisted by Zeus and other deities. The 33 Hymns attributed to, but not composed by, Homer are each devoted to a different god or goddess, and written in a Greek language as archaic as Homers. Spyridon Loverdos (1877-1936) was a Greek bibliophile, politician and economist, and head of the National Bank. EDIT16 CNCE 22949; Renouard 80:3: un nouveau texte; Dibdin I, pp.165-6: the second is esteemed the most rare and valuable; Ahmanson-Murphy 153.
FERRI, Alfonso.
FIRST EDITION. 4to. ff. [58]. Roman letter. Woodcut arms of Pope Paul III to title. Outer margin and gutter of title a little dusty, next two ll. slightly adhering at gutter, occasional minor marginal spotting, lower edge trimmed short, touching a few signatures or catchwords, fore-edge of H1 trimmed. A good copy in carta rustica, spine strengthened with later paper, C19 paper label, early ms title to lower edge, the odd C16 marginal note. First edition of this ground-breaking medical treatise (and Americanum) on the use of Guaiacum (lignum sanctum) for the treatment of syphilis and other illnesses, one of the most important herbal remedies brought back from the New World. Alfonso Ferri (d.1595) was surgeon to Pope Paul III, Paul IV and Julius III, professor at Naples and Rome, and author of a treatise on the treatment of gun wounds. Among the earliest works devoted to this subject, his De ligni sancti introduced a new recipe for the preparation of Guaiacum with wine instead of water (as used in the New World). It begins with an explanation on the nature of Guaiacum, with references to methods of preparation, e.g., Santo Domingo and San José (as glossed by the occasional early annotator of this copy); its natural and medical properties, especially in the case of morbus gallicus (syphilis), for which it became the main remedy; detailed instructions on its preparation (decoctio), including the kind of vessel to be used, and additional ingredients; and ways of administering the resulting syrup. The second part explains how dozens of illnesses can be treated with Guaiacum: e.g., headache, melancholy, insomnia, vertigo, epilepsy and hair loss, with a longer section on syphilis and a few on the properties of quicksilver, to be used in tandem with Guaiacum. The final part explains how Guaiacum is more effective when administered with wine, as wine is more easily absorbed by the stomach. A very important medical work. USTC 829334; Durling 1506; Wellcome I, 2239; Harrisse, Bib. Amer. Vet. (Add.), 116; Alden I, p.45; JCB 23:5-6. Not in Heirs of Hippocrates, Simon or Oberlé.
EDWARDS, Edward.
FIRST EDITION. 4to. pp. [8], 53, [3]. Roman letter, diagrammatic layout. Decorated initials and ornaments. Very light browning. A good copy in half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, Fox Pointe bookplate to front pastedown, early ms 4 to outer margin of title, faint early pen trials to E3. First edition of this handy compendium in English of the causes and treatments of all kinds of fever. Nothing appears to be known of the (Welsh?) physician Edward Edwards, with a final imprimatur from the Bishop of London after the text was examined and approved by the physician Alexander Read. This manual begins with a preface warning the reader against impostors, and petticoat physicians and surgeons who are gossips who being frequent among sick folks, and hearing the advice and counsel of the learned and expert physician prescribing many fit things to his patient', prescribe similar remedies to patients, for money, without adjusting the remedy to the individual or the illness. The five parts discuss the nature and number of fevers, the inflammation of the spirits caused by fevers (without putrefaction), the fever putrida, and the fever hectick (caused by unnatural heat). The whole work is presented as a series of charts illustrating the taxonomy of fevers, from general to specific, e.g., tertian, synochus putrida, fever causon (the hottest burning fever continua), epiola, lyparia, etc. Each chart provides a definition, taxonomy, the causes, signs, prognostic and cure. Several of the fevers mentioned seldom appear in manuals of general pathology, and if they do, not in such detail. Edwards highlights the fevers that were most dangerous and often led to death, making his charts interesting evidence for our knowledge of mortality causes in C17 England. The section on fever pestilence lists as causes Gods hand to punish sin, venomous ayre and corrupt air/bad humours, the prognostic being death for the most part, except in very few cases, and the cure being submit thee to God, acknowledge your sins with hearty repentance, as well as order, diet and physical exercise. A fascinating work, unusually structured and detailed. ESTC S100248; STC 7512; Krivatsy 3601; Not in Wellcome, Osler or Heirs of Hippocrates.
SIBMACHER, Johann.
FIRST EDITION. Oblong 8vo. ff. [1] + 23 of 43 leaves of plates, lacking engraved title and some preliminaries A 1, 3-4 , 12 plates of patterns and 8 plates with ruling. Gothic letter in two styles, text within typographical border and plates double frame, very fine engraved illustration. Somewhat finger-soiled as usual, rare early red hand-colouring to plates, expert marginal repair to A 2 (prelims) and couple of plates, with loss to engraving on lower outer corner of pl.30. A remarkable survival, in modern paper boards, two C19 ms annotations to plates, one And[reas] Joh[annes] Georg Lauft zu Lauff(?) 1824, later sketched patterns in pencil to few blank versos. In folding box. The rare second edition of this remarkable and famous pattern book, which survives in scant numbers and in fragmentary form. An edition of 1591 is mentioned in an auction catalogue slip included in this copy, though not in USTC or OCLC. Johann Hans Sibmacher (d.1611) was a printer and engraver in Nuremberg, renowned for his monumental heraldic collection, Wappenbuch. Schön Neues Modelbuch was a virtuoso tour-de-force of engraving, whereby Sibmacher reproduced on copper, using an etching needle for the intaglio, dozens of intricate patterns for sewing and embroidering. Particularly arresting are the tonal differences he was able to achieve in his patterns by applying a clever system of hatchings, consisting not just of lines but also of geometric shapes that are strikingly similar to [ ] punti tagliati (Speelberg, pp.38-9). The designs include animal figures, grotesque and purely geometrical patterns, each specifying the number of vertical stitches (gegen) required. The title of the first plate explains that Judenstitch (Jews stitch) can also be used for these patterns a technique which remains unknown and is also mentioned in Chaucers Sir Topaz (Palliser, p.423). Modelbuch continued to be reprinted until the mid-C19 and became the most influential pattern book in Germany and England. Only Folger copy in the US. VD16 S 6256; Lotz 32a (probably); Berlin Cat. 892. F. Speelberg, Fashion & Virtue: Textile Patterns and the Print Revolution, 15201620, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, 73 (2015); B. Palliser, A History of Lace (1869).
8vo (154 x 100mm). ff. [2], 4-18, 20-75, [6], fol.19 misnumbered as 20. Manuscript on thick, high-quality paper, Italian secretary hand, brown ink, titles, index and initials in red. Watermark: circle (unclear due to small format) and letters DM. Slight age browning, light water stain to upper margin of first and last few ll., lower half of one leaf of index torn away, else complete. A good copy in C20 citron crushed morocco, gilt-lettered, C20 bookplate to front pastedown, dry-stamp of Derek Gibson and pencilled acquisition date to fly, lower joint split at foot. An intriguing, understudied Italian legal ms listing all magistrates of the Serenissima, with their number, the length of their office and their revenues, followed by a list of the major patrician families of Venice. It was a pocket-size reference book of the increasingly centralized Serenissima government, used internally by officials, magistrates and the nobility. A dozen other copies (see below) are recorded, produced way into the C17, important witnesses to the operations and public offices of the Serenissima. Previously, only the diaries of Marin Sanudo (1466-1536) had provided such detailed information, then only for magistrates of the city itself. This ms begins with the Serenissimo Principe, whose office is for life and earns him 3500 ducats a year. It then continues with the officers appointed by the Consiglio dei Dieci, the Pregadi and the Maggior Consiglio. These are subdivided into those who work in the city (e.g., overseeing credit and money exchange, customs, health, trade, prisons, bullion), the Dogado (the coastal strip near Venice), the terraferma of Treviso, Friuli, Padova, Rovigo, Brescia, Bergamo, etc., Istria and Dalmatia, the Ionian Islands, the Levant, and the Stato de Mar (overseas possessions), plus a long list of all the ambassadorial or consular offices (e.g., Alexandria, Constantinople, Syria) of the Serenissima. There are the three Inquisitori sopra li secreti, or the censors of the press established in 1539, and the numerous offices concerning the management of natural resources. A copy survives in which all revenues which remained unchanged over the course of the years are in lire, which suggests the genre was flexible in many ways. We have examined UPenn, BL, Harley MS 3347 and BL, Add. MS 46,452, and have noted very strong similarities in the incipits/explicits, all likely produced centrally by the chancery scribes of the Serenissima, as the hand, layout and style are identical in 3 copies (ours, UPenn, Harley MS 3347); and Harley shares the watermark. There are variations on the content (e.g., offices added, moved around or omitted, no final list of major families). Only Bergamo MS A47 and Oliv. MS 2005 include dated dedications for the years 1594 and 1598 respectively. Add. MS 46,452 (a deluxe presentation copy) bears an undated dedication to Zuane di Medici (likely Giovanni de Medici, d.1621). In our copy and Harley 3347, we find, among the magistrates, the Provveditori al Montello, established in 1587. A comparative examination of the final list of major Venetian family provides further help. Our list and that in Harley 3347 are identical; together with the watermark, this suggests the two mss were produced at the same time. The list in Add. MS 46,452 adds Sfondrato (for Pope Gregory XIV, 1590-1) and Henry of Bourbon (1600), absent in our ms. This suggests 1590 as a terminus ante quem for our ms, which can safely be dated c.1587-9. G. Speake, Encyclopedia of Greece and the Hellenic Tradition (2021); F. Miari, Venetia anticha (1890).
PORTA, Giovanni Battista.
A classic of cryptography, and one of the earliest illustrated works entirely devoted to this subject here with the three volvelles in their uncut state. This is the second edition, an English counterfeit with a false imprint, reprising, in all but the woodcut Habsburg arms on the title, the first Naples edition of 1563. It was published in 1591 by the London printer John Wolfe trained in Italy and a master of surreptitious imprints, e.g., Machiavelli s The Prince ; a second issue, with Wolfe s London imprint and the date 1591, is identical, but for the title. The influence of this ed. on English culture can be seen in Epigram 92 by Ben Jonson: They all get Porta, for the sundry ways / To write in cipher, and the several keys, / To ope the character . The Neapolitan Giovan Battista della Porta (1535-1615) published extensively on agriculture, meteorology, natural science and chemistry, and was at the centre of a wide scholarly network including Galileo. Due to his theorisation of magic as an instrument for the understanding of natural phenomenology, he was investigated by the Inquisition in the mid-1580s. De furtivis literarum notis (On the Secret Signs of Letters) is a manual of cryptography or steganography, i.e., the art of concealing the meaning of messages from everyone else but the receiver. Among the dozens of ciphers presented and illustrated with woodcuts and tables, there is the first digraphic cipher (Bauer, p.117) and the first modern polyalphabetic substitution cipher, later developed by Vigenère and the WWII Enigma Machine. The work begins by presenting types of secret signs and how to render vowels, semivowels, consonants and mute symbols, with an eye to statistical cryptanalysis, i.e., the most frequent letters are probably vowels, and the use of hieroglyphs. Then it examines ancient cryptography, e.g., the Caesar cipher, and why it was no longer fit for purpose; types of C16 cryptography (e.g., transposition, shifted self-reciprocal substitution) and how to decipher them, with the help of a cipher disk, used for polyalphabetic ciphers. To create the first polyalphabetic substitution cipher, Porta used the idea of a mixed alphabet from Alberti, Trithemius square and letter-by-letter alphabet change, and Bellaso s keyword [ clavis ] to create a single system for polyalphabetic substitution (Dooley, p.39). The work provides dozens of examples showing the original Latin message and its encrypted counterpart, often represented with bespoke woodcut symbols. Porta obviously received excellent assistance from his publisher and printer, for his special symbols did not exist as type and either had to be entered in each copy by hand in writing or with specially made woodcuts. Particularly striking are the pictograms, probably designed by Porta himself, [ ] and are reminiscent of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs (Zielinski, pp.78-9). Their efforts were matched by Wolfe s printing workshop. A classic of cryptography in its most bibliographically interesting edition. 4to. pp. [20], 228. Roman letter, occasional Greek. Woodcut title vignette, 14 woodcut cryptographic messages within decorative frame, 3 uncut woodcut volvelles, 3 full-page woodcut diagrams (2 volvelles added on later thin paper, loose), 2 full-page woodcut or typed cryptographic tables, 6 woodcut cryptographic alphabets, decorated initials and ornaments (few hand-coloured). Light age browning, A1 repaired at foot, B1 and P1 a bit soiled to lower outer corner, upper outer blank corner of O3-4 torn, faint water stain to gatherings P-R. A good copy in early C18 French mottled sheep, marbled eps, spine gilt, joints a little rubbed, extremities occasionally worn, a.e.r. C19 autograph Le Camus and C18 ms note of the Augustinians of Lyon to front pastedown, their ms ex-libris crossed-out to title.
[VILLAMENA, Francesco]
FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. 8vo. Text engraved in upper case Roman letter. Frontispiece plus 51 numbered engraved plates, in excellent strong impression, of the life of St Francis by Francesco Villamena. Engravings centred on recto of each leaf, a few stub mounted. Latin and Italian captions beneath explaining the narrative of each scene. Marginal spots and foxing, noticeably on one leaf, wormhole to blank inner upper corner of first few leaves. A crisp, wide-margined copy in original limp vellum, a little soiled, numbers inked to upper cover. Rarely complete copy of a beautiful series of Renaissance engravings depicting 51 episodes from the life of St Francis of Assisi (c.1181-1226) with descriptive engraved titles, in Latin and Italian. All other copies appear to have at least one missing plate or lack the frontispiece. Canonised in 1228 by Pope Gregory IX, Saint Francis is best-known as the founder of the Franciscan order, a significant religious group during the Renaissance. Scenes include his birth (pl.1), death (pl.50) and St Francis with Popes Nicolas IV (1288-1292), Alexander V (1409-1410), Sixtus IV (1471-1484), and Sixtus V (1585-1590) (pl.51), all members of the Franciscan Order. Other recognisable tableaux include his reception of the stigmata on Mount La Verna (pl.46), a popular motif in art of the time, the apparition of and conversation with Christ (pl.14), and his meeting with the Sultan of Turkey (pl.13). The plates are the work of Italian engraver Francesco Villamena (1564-1624), born in Assisi. Having trained in Rome under Cornelis Cort, he studied painting and engraving, choosing historical and religious subjects. The very detached images reflect the artistic style of the time, creating a sense of space, using linear perspective, usually rendered through the incorporation of orthogonal lines into the surroundings, and by careful modelling of the characters clothing. Light and shade are `created effectively by varying the direction and thickness of lines, as well as cross-hatching. While the events recorded date from the 12th C, the figures are characteristically depicted in contemporary garments.
FICINUS, Marsilius (with) INSULANUS MENAPIUS, Gulielmus
Small 8vo. pp. 631 [57]. Italic letter. Printed marginal notes and occasional mss. in two hands in brown and black ink, commenting or elaborating on text. Historiated inital at beginning of each work. Index at end and printer s device to verso of final leaf. Light age yellowing, a little marginal browning to few leaves of index, a clean crisp copy in slightly later vellum, gilded label to spine, sprinkled edges. A fascinating pair of works relating to health. The first, on medicine, draws also upon elements of philosophy and astrology. The author, Ficinus (1433-99), was an Italian priest and humanist philosopher, whose father had been a physician under the patronage of Cosimo de Medici in Florence. First published in 1489. De Vita furnished the reader with medical and astrological advice for maintaining health and vigour, while exploring the Neoplatonist view of the world s integration with the human soul. Ficinus took particular interest on the interaction between the micro- and macrocosmos and in somatic and psychological manifestations to cure diseases. The third book focuses on leading a healthy life in a world full of demons and spirits. The author s astrological and alchemical pursuits, observable in this text, resulted in his being accused of heresy in 1489, but he was pardoned by Pope Innocent VIII. The second treatise focuses on lifestyle, food and drink, by a doctor from Grevenbroich in West Germany, who died in 1561. The author surveys and compares the writings of classical authors such as Galen, Pliny, Virgil, Plato, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Cicero, and others in a discussion about healthy lifestyle. He considers exercise, comparing the effectiveness of pursuits such as athletics, riding, sailing and walking. Menapius also considers the environment and the effects of natural phenomena such as wind upon health. There are chapters on when and how long to sleep, recommending more sleep in winter than in summer. The majority of that text, however, is dedicated to diet with chapters on various food and drink, including vegetables, grain, neat, offal, eggs, milk, cheese, fish, honey, oil, vinegar, water, wine and beer, as well as condiments. The text recommends methods of preparation, general observations about each product and when to consume them. This guide has several humanising moments, particularly when a connection is made, through use of the classical authors, between eating beans and producing wind. Other recommendations provide a glimpse into the Renaissance mindset, with the author warning against the consumption of kidneys and most testicles as they contain vitiosi succi , roughly translated to wicked juices . A fascinatingly entertaining pair of humanist medical works, approaching health and lifestyle from two very distinct perspectives.
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