Early Printed BooksDuff, E. Gordon (Edward Gordon)
History
Early Printed Books
Duff, E. Gordon (Edward Gordon)
Incunabula -- Bibliography; Printing -- History -- Origin and antecedents
Since the publication of this bibliography, the existence of another
book from the first Cambridge press has been discovered. In 1889, among
some other fragments forming the covers of a book in Westminster Abbey
Library, were found part of the first sheet of the Cambridge _Papyrius
Geminus_, and two leaves of a grammar in the same type, in quarto, with
twenty-six lines to the page besides headlines. These turned out to be
part of the small grammar, _De octo orationis partium constructione_,
written for use in Paul’s School. It was written by Lily and amended by
Erasmus, and finally issued anonymously. After the printing of these
nine books Siberch is lost sight of; but that he was still alive in
1525 we know from a letter of Erasmus, who, writing on Christmas Day to
Dr. Robert Aldrich of King’s College, sends greetings, among others,
to ‘Gerardum, Nicolaum et Joannem Siburgum bibliopolas.’ Amongst the
fragments taken from the binding spoken of above, was a letter to
Siberch from the well-known Antwerp and London bookseller, Peter Kaetz,
relating to the purchase of books, but it has unfortunately no date,
though certainly earlier than 1524.
Two books were printed at Tavistock in the first half of the sixteenth
century; and as the monks possessed a printing press of their own, it
is quite probable that other books were issued which have now entirely
perished. The first book is an English metrical translation of the _De
Consolatione Philosophiæ_ of Boethius made by Thomas Waltwnem. It has
the following colophon: ‘Emprented in the exempt monastery of Tavestock
in Denshyre. By me Dan Thomas Rychard, monke of the sayd monastery.
To the instant desyre of the ryght worshypful esquyer Mayster Robert
Langdon, anno d. MDXXV.’ Several copies of this book are known.
Of the other book but one copy is known, now in the library of Exeter
College, Oxford. It is a small quarto of twenty-six leaves, with thirty
or thirty-one lines to the page, The tithe runs, ‘Here foloyth the
confirmation of the Charter perteynynge to all the tynners wythyn the
countey of Devonshyre, wyth there statutes also made at Crockeryntorre
by the hole assent and consent of al the sayd tynners yn the yere
of the reygne of our souerayne Lord Kynge Henry ye VIII. the-secund
yere.’ The book ends on the reverse of signature d 3, ‘Here endyth the
statutes of the stannary. Imprented yn Tavystoke ye xx day of August
the yere of the reygne off our soveryne Lord Kynge Henry ye VIII. the
xxvi yere.’
At Abingdon a book was printed in 1528 by John Scolar, who had beer
printing at Oxford about ten years previously. It is the _Breviary_
for the use of Abingdon, and the only known copy is in the library of
Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The colophon runs: ‘Istud portiforium fuit
impressum per Joannem Scholarem in monasterio beate marie virginis
Abendonensi. Anno incarnationis dominice Millesimo quingentesimo
vicesimo octavo. Et Thome Rowlonde abbatis septimo decimo.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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