Title from half-title page, leaf [1]/1r: Here begynneth the legende named in latyn legenda aurea, that is to say in englyshe the golden legende. For lyke as passeth golde in valewe al other metallys / soo thys Legende excedeth all other bokes.
Imprint from colophon, leaf gg4v: Thus endeth the lege[n]de named in latyn legenda aurea / that is to say in englisshe the golde[n] lege[n]de. For lyke as passeth golde in valewe al other metallis / soo thys Legende excedeth all other bokes / wherin ben conteyned alle the hyghe and grete festys of our lorde. The festys of our blessyd lady / The lyues passio[n]s [and] myracles of mani other saintes hystoryes [and] actes / as all alonge here afore is made mencyon / whiche werke I dyde accomplisshed at the commaundeme[n]te and requeste of the noble and puyssaunte erle. [and] my specyal good lord wyllyam erle of Arondel / And now hane renewed [and] fynysshed it at westmestre the xx day of May / The yere of our lord M CCCClxxxxiii / And in the viii yere of the reygne off kynge Henry the vii / By me wyllyam Caxton.
Printed in De Worde's types 1:120G and 2:114G.
Signatures: [1⁴]; a-e⁸ F² f-z [et] [us]⁸ ē⁴ A-Y aa-ee⁸ ff⁶ gg⁴: 436 leaves.
Woodcuts.
Variant settings are noted in BMC.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 28.8 x 20.4 cm.
PML copy in second setting.
PML copy missing 6 leaves: [1]/1-3, z4, 8, and gg4; leaves [1]/4 and R1 replaced from a smaller copies (28 x 18.5 cm and 24.9 x 16.8 cm, both remargined) and gg4 replaced in facsimile; leaf a1 remargined at gutter. Notes from Bennett suggest leaf R1 from Ashburnham copy.
Golden legende
Hand decoration: Rubrication not required. Annotations: Minimal early marginal notations in text, including "the lyf of" (leaf q7r) and spelling corrections (leaf t7r). Incised stars (leaves t5r and v2r).