Of the first volume of THE PALACE OF PLEASURE there were three editions, but of the second only two are known. Each of these, all uncommonly fair and perfect, through the liberal indulgence of their respective owners, are now before me; a combination which has scarcely been seen by any collector, however distinguished for ardour of pursuit and extensiveness of research, since the age of Q. Elizabeth. Their rarity in a perfect state may render an accurate description, though lengthened by minuteness, of some value to the bibliographer. The account of them will be given in their chronological order. _The Palace of Pleasure_ | Beautified, adorned and | *well furnished with Plea-* | _saunt Histories and excellent_ | *Nouells, selected out of* | diuers good and commen- | *dable authors.* | ¶ _By William Painter Clarke of the_ | _Ordinaunce and Armarie._ | [Wood-cut of a Bear and ragged Staff, the crest of Ambrose Earl of Warwick, central of a garter, whereon is the usual motto | HONI: SOIT: QVI: MAL: Y: PENSE.] | 1566. | _JMPRINTED AT_--*London, by Henry Denham,* | for Richard Tottell and William Iones.[52]--4to. Extends to sig. Nnnij. besides introduction, and is folded in fours. [Footnote 52: Herbert has this edition entered as printed by Thomas Marshe, upon the authority of Mr. William White, p. 856. It was licensed to Jones as “certen historyes collected out of dyuers Ryght good and profitable authours by William Paynter.” ib. 1319.] This title is within a narrow fancy metal border, and on the back of the leaf are the Arms of the Earl of Warwick, which fill the page. With signature * 2 commences the dedication, and at ¶ 2 is “a recapitulacion or briefe rehersal of the Arguments of euery Nouell, with the places noted, in what author euery of the same or the effect be reade and contayned.” These articles occupy four leaues each, and five more occupy the address “to the reader,” followed by the names of the Authors from whom the “nouels be selected;” making the whole introduction, with title, 14 leaves. The nouels being lx. in number, conclude with folio 345, but there are only 289 leaves, as a castration appears of 56.[53] On the reverse of the last folio are “faultes escaped in the printing;” and besides those corrected, there are “other faultes [that] by small aduise and lesse payne may by waying the discourse be easely amended or lightly passed ouer.” A distinct leaf has the following colophon: Imprinted at Lon | don, by Henry Denham, | *for Richard Tottell and* | *William Jones* | _Anno Domini_. 1566 | _Ianuarij_ 26. |*These bookes are to be solde at the long shoppe* | *at the Weast ende of Paules.* [Footnote 53: There is a lapse of signatures from O o. j. to A a a. j. and of folios from 145, (misprinted 135) to 201. What occasioned the castration it is impossible to conjecture; the volume is certainly perfect, as the table of Contents has no article for the omitted leaves.]