Discripcion of Britayne.

Accession number:

PML 678

Author:

Higden, Ranulf, -1364.

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.

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:

Incunable Collection

Catalog Link:

See more information »

Genres:

Incunabula

Armorial bindings (Binding)

Morocco bindings (Binding)

Century:

19th century

Department:

Printed Books