Accession number
PML 678
Creator
Higden, Ranulf, -1364.
Object title
Discripcion of Britayne.
Published
Westminster : William Caxton, 18 August 1480.
Description
[30] leaves ; 30 cm (fol.)
Credit line
Purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Notes
Collation: [1-3⁸ 4⁶]: 30 leaves, leaf [4]/6 blank.
Goff, ISTC, and GW consider this title with the Chronicles of England as a single edition in two parts dated: I) 10 June 1480 and II) 18 Aug. 1480. BMC divides into two editions, but intended to be sold together.
Paper format: Chancery folio
PML copy leaf dimensions: 29 x 20.2 cm (largest dimension)
PML copy made up from multiple copies based on leaf dimensions: 1) leaves a1, a3-4, a6-7, b2, b4-b8, c2-c7, and d5 measure 29 x 20.2 cm; 2) a2, a5, a8, b1, b3, c8, d1-d3 cut to text block and set within modern paper to match larger dimensions; 3) c1 with fore edge extended to match larger dimensions; 4) d4 with bottom edge extended to match larger dimensions.
PML copy missing 1 leaf: d6 (blank).
Printed in Caxton's type 4:95B.
The Description of Britain is derived from Liber I of Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicon, printed by Caxton in 1482 (BMC).
Title and imprint from colophon (leaf [4]/5r): Here endeth het discripcion of Britayne the / whiche conteyneth englond wales and scotland / [and] also bicause Irlonde in under the reule of englond [and] of olde tyme it hath so continued therfore I have sette the descripcion of the same after the said brituyne / which I have taken oute of Policronicon / And bicause it is necessarie to alle englisshmen to knowe the propertees co[m]moditees [and] mervailles of them / therefore I have sette them in enprinte according to the translacion of Trevisa / whiche atte request of the lord Barkeley translated the book of Policronicon in to englissh / Fynysshed by me william Carton [sic] the xviii. day of August the yere of our lord god M.CCCC. lxxx. and the xx. yere of the regne of kyng Edward the fourthe.
Goff, ISTC, and GW consider this title with the Chronicles of England as a single edition in two parts dated: I) 10 June 1480 and II) 18 Aug. 1480. BMC divides into two editions, but intended to be sold together.
Paper format: Chancery folio
PML copy leaf dimensions: 29 x 20.2 cm (largest dimension)
PML copy made up from multiple copies based on leaf dimensions: 1) leaves a1, a3-4, a6-7, b2, b4-b8, c2-c7, and d5 measure 29 x 20.2 cm; 2) a2, a5, a8, b1, b3, c8, d1-d3 cut to text block and set within modern paper to match larger dimensions; 3) c1 with fore edge extended to match larger dimensions; 4) d4 with bottom edge extended to match larger dimensions.
PML copy missing 1 leaf: d6 (blank).
Printed in Caxton's type 4:95B.
The Description of Britain is derived from Liber I of Trevisa's translation of Higden's Polychronicon, printed by Caxton in 1482 (BMC).
Title and imprint from colophon (leaf [4]/5r): Here endeth het discripcion of Britayne the / whiche conteyneth englond wales and scotland / [and] also bicause Irlonde in under the reule of englond [and] of olde tyme it hath so continued therfore I have sette the descripcion of the same after the said brituyne / which I have taken oute of Policronicon / And bicause it is necessarie to alle englisshmen to knowe the propertees co[m]moditees [and] mervailles of them / therefore I have sette them in enprinte according to the translacion of Trevisa / whiche atte request of the lord Barkeley translated the book of Policronicon in to englissh / Fynysshed by me william Carton [sic] the xviii. day of August the yere of our lord god M.CCCC. lxxx. and the xx. yere of the regne of kyng Edward the fourthe.
Binding
19th-century gilt-stamped brown, hard-grained morocco over paper boards (29.8 x 21 cm), with the Buccleuch arms (Chalres William Henry Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch, 1772-1819) on each board. Plain paper doublures and fly leaves; plain endbands; gilt edges.
Variant title
The description of Britain
Inscriptions/Markings
Hand decoration: Unrubricated, rubrication unrealized. Annotations: No notations in text.
Provenance
Lincoln Cathedral and Chapter Library (Dean Michael Honywood donation to Wren Library?); Thomas Frognall Dibdin (1776-1847), purchased a collection of Caxtons from Lincoln after James Edwards had raided the library for Lord Spencer (see Duff, William Caxton, 1905, pp. 29-30), A Lincolne Nosegay, 1811, no. II (part 2); John Roberts, purchased from Dibdin(?); his sale, Evans, 6 March 1815, no. 637, to Milner; John Milner; his sale, Evans, 18 May 1829, no. 802, to Evans; William Simonds Higgs; his sale, Sotheby, 26 April 1830, no 205, to Payne; William Henry Walter Scott (1831-1914), 6th Duke of Buccleuch, armorial binding (volume included both the Description and Chronicles until Buccleuch rebinding and sale, see De Ricci, Census, 29.2 and 35.4; Chronicles now at LoC, Rosenwald Coll.); his sale, Sotheby, 25 March 1889, no. 603, to Quaritch; Richard Bennett (1849-1930), armorial bookplate (front pastedown) and bibliographical notes: No. 131, 22/4/96 and price code: own/-/- less 10% +com (front fly leaf verso); Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Classification
Catalog link
Century
Department