Polycronycon

Beschreibung

[INTERESTING PROVENANCE] Folio. ff. [L] (the last blank), CCCxlvi [i.e. CCCxlvii], [i]. 2a , 2b-2h , a-y , z , A-S , T , U-X . Black letter, in double column, without catchwords. Woodcut title page, printed in red and black, with large woodcut of St. George slaying the dragon, incorporating Reynes monogram device (McKerrow 55), a woodcut crown at head, white on black woodcut below with profile portrait of Henry VIII, Royal Arms at left, Arms of the City of London at right, all repeated, joined together, on verso of last, (Hodnett, no. 2489), large woodcut of a battle with woodcut borders on verso of fol. 182, nine smaller cuts from six blocks in text, (Hodnett, no. 2490-2496), the music cut, recto fol 101, when used in the 1495 edition of this book was the earliest music printing in England Pforzheimer. Charming woodcut border for colophon (McKerrow & Ferguson. 12), woodcut white on black criblé initials, Robertus Churchus in a near contemporary hand on title (Robert Church), with his inscriptions in Greek below and his monogram either side of Reynes device, Thomas and Isabella Hervey and Willaim Hervey in early mss. at head of title, repeated on blank hh6 verso, long note in a contemporary hand on verso of aa3 (blank), occasional marginal note in a near contemporary hand, the word Pope or Papacy crossed out in places, modern bookplate on pastedown. Light age yellowing, a little offsetting or ink smudging in places (originally too heavily inked), title and verso of last fractionally dusty, small scattered single worm holes in places, occasional thumb mark or spot. A fine fresh copy, crisp and clean, in early C19th diced Russia, covers bordered with a double gilt rule, blind rules and rolls to a panel design, blind fleurons to corners, spine with gilt ruled raised bands, richly worked in blind in compartments, title gilt lettered, a.e.g. a little rubbed at upper joint and extremities. A fine, fresh copy of the first illustrated edition of the Polycronicon, this cornerstone of English prose (Pforzheimer) translated by John Trevisa, and edited with a continuation by William Caxton. It is a reprint of Wynken de Worde s 1495 edition with the addition of several woodcuts and omission of the date of Wynken de Worde s edition at end. Written by the Benedictine monk Ranulf Higden (d. 1364) the Polychronicon offered to the educated and learned audience of fourteenth-century England a clear and original picture of world history based upon medieval tradition, but with a new interest in antiquity, and with the early history of Britain related as part of the whole DNB. Higden s work, divided into 7 books and extending to the year 1348, was originally written in Latin. The English translation is by John de Trevisa, who continued the coverage to 1357. The 8th book was added by William Caxton, whose name appears on R6r, when in 1482 he printed Trevisa s translation with extensive revisions Few of Caxton s books have excited more interest and research than the Polycronicon. It appears to have had its origin with Roger, Monk of St. Werberg, in Chester, who about the beginning of the 14th Century, made an extensive compilation in Latin from several of the old Chronicles and Works on Natural History then in existence. Ralph Higden, of the same monastery, who died before 1360, amplified this compilation, entitling the work, Polychronicon, and this, judging from the numerous copies still extant, had a very extended popularity. In 1387, Trevisa, Chaplain to the Earl of Berkeley, translated the Latin of Higden into English prose. … Nearly a century later, Caxton revised the antiquated text of Trevisa, which, together with a continuation of the History to the year 1460, was finished on July 2nd, 1482, and printed soon after. Caxton entitled his continuation Liber ultimus and it is most interesting as being the only original work of any magnitude from our Printer s pen. .

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Bibliografische Details

Titel

Polycronycon

Verlag

Southwark, by my Peter Treueris at ye expences of Ioh Reynes

Erscheinungsjahr

1527

Einband

Hardcover

Zustand

Fine