The engravings are taken from a very rare book, of which, as far as is known, there are but three copies in exiſtence: one is in the Royal Library at Bruſſels, another at the Hague, in the collection of Mr. Schinkel, and the third is in the poſſesſion of Lord Spencer at Althorp. It is from this book that theſe fac-similes (made by M. J. Ph. Berjeau) were taken. The book itſelf has one woodcut on each page, with a verſe in Dutch, at the bottom, explanatory of each engraving. It is called indifferently _Hiſtoria Sanctæ Crucis_ or _Boec van den houte_ (Book of the wood or tree). It was printed at Kuilenburg on March 6th, 1483, by John Veldener,[N] who had juſt removed from Louvain. Theſe ſixty-four engravings were originally on thirty-two blocks,[O] and evidently belonged to ſome much older block book, now loſt. Theſe, Veldener cut in half, as he had already treated a _Speculum_, and brought them out as a freſh book. The Legend as told by theſe engravings is as follows:— [Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 1._] [Sidenote: _No. 2._] [Sidenote: _No. 3._] [Sidenote: _No. 4._] [Sidenote: _No. 5._] [Sidenote: _No. 6._] [Sidenote: _Nos. 7, 8._] Adam, feeling himſelf about to die, ſent Seth to Paradiſe to beg for ſome of the oil of mercy,[1] which, however, the Archangel Michael refuſed to give him, but, inſtead, preſented him with three ſeeds of the tree of life.[2] On his return, he found Adam dead, and, being unable to adminiſter theſe ſeeds to his father in any other manner, he put them under his tongue, and then buried him.[3] Preſently theſe ſeeds germinated and ſhot through the ground, and are traditionally ſaid to have been a cedar, a cypreſs, and a pine.[4] They grew until Moſes had led the Israelites out of Egypt, when he found them in the Valley of Hebron, and he recognized them as typifying the Trinity. He removed them, and they were his conſtant companions.[5] With them he ſmote the rock, and the waters guſhed out,[6] and the bitter waters of Marah became ſweet.[7, 8] [Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 9._] [Sidenote: _No. 10._] [Sidenote: _No. 11._] [Sidenote: _No. 12._] [Sidenote: _No. 13._] He then planted them in the land of Moab,[9] and there they remained, until an angelic viſion appeared unto David, and commanded him to go, and take them up, and bring them to Jeruſalem.[10] On his return the three rods worked miracles, healing the ſick,[11] and the leprous, with a touch;[12] nay, more, on being applied to three black men, they inſtantly became white.[13] [Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 14._] [Sidenote: _No. 15._] [Sidenote: _No. 16._] [Sidenote: _No. 17._]