The next English book-plate which bears upon it an engraved date is that
of Sir Thomas Tresham. On this the inscription reads 'June 29, 1585,'
which no doubt refers to the date of engraving, or, probably, to the
date at which the design for the engraving was finished by the artist.
As a work of art it is poor, but its interest as a book-plate to
collectors is not lessened on that account. Tresham was knighted by
Queen Elizabeth ten years before the date of his book-plate. We know not
much of him, save what Fuller tells us that he was famous for 'his skill
in buildings.' One of his sons, Sir Francis, was involved in the
Gunpowder Plot, and another, Sir Lewis, was made a baronet in 1611.
These three examples are all the sixteenth century English dated
book-plates yet brought to light. Those in the seventeenth century are
far more numerous. We find one bearing the date '1613,' which was
prepared to place in the volumes given, in that year, by William
Willmer, a Northamptonshire squire, to his college library. The
inscription on it reads: 'Sydney Sussex Colledge--Ex dono Wilhelmi
Willmer de Sywell in Com. Northamtoniæ, Armigeri, quondam pentionarii in
ista Domi (_sic_), viz. in Anno Dñi 1599; sed dedit in Ano Dñi 1613.'
The book-plate is clearly early, and shows us fine bold heraldic work.
In style it nearly resembles the Bacon plate, and that of Sir Thomas
Tresham; but the mantling here descends to the base of the shield. The
Willmer plate is in Dr. Howard's Collection; a reproduction of it is
given in Mr. Griggs's _Examples of Armorial Book-Plates_.
Early in the reign of Charles I. may be placed a very beautiful example
of heraldic engraving, which Sir Wollaston Franks satisfactorily assigns
to a certain John Talbot of Thorneton, who died in 1659. It is inscribed
'Coll. Talbott,' and this John Talbot is called 'Colonellus ex parte
Regis'; the quarterings are those of the families of Ferrers, Bellars,
and Arderne.
In strange contrast to this fine work is the wood block book-plate of
'William Courtenay of Treemer, in the county of Cornwall, Esquire,'
who, in 1632, inherited the Treemer estate. We may note that, not only
is this book-plate, like all those yet described, free from any
indication of lines or dots to express the colours in the armorial
bearings, but below the shield is given a verbal blazon of the coat: 'He
beareth _or_, 3 Torteauxes.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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