RODERICI ZAMORENSIS SPECULUM VITE HUMANE.

At the end is this singular colophon: Finit liber dictus. Speculum vite humane quia in eo et cesarea potestas, et regalis dignitas bubulcorum eciam genus sibi speculatur saluberrima simul spiritualisque vite viros secum adducens. Papam scilicet cardinales, Archiepiscopos, Clericos, et ceteros Ecclesie ministros. Rectam et his speculandi prescribendo norman å Helya Helye alias de Louffen Canonico. Ecclesie ville. Beronensis in pago. Ergowie site absque calami exarationė Vigilia Conceptionis Marie. Sub, Anno ab incarnacione domini. Millesimo Quadringentisimo septuagesimo secundo.

This book printed at the same place, by the same printer, Helyas Helye, and if the dates are accurate, which I have before questioned, only two years after the book immediately before described, is in a very different type.

It is a sort of semigothic.

There is a copy of this edition in Lord Spencer's collection. It was reprinted at the same place by the same printer in the following year,

and was probably a mere transcript of that which preceded.

The first edition of this work was by Sweynheym, and Pannartz, at Rome, 1468; a copy of which sold in the La Valiere sale for 400 livres.

RODERICUS SANTIUS DE AREVATO was a Spaniard, born at an obscure village in the diocese of Segovia. He was educated at Salamanca, where he became Doctor of Laws, and afterwards rose to the highest honours of the Sacerdotal Profession. He was author of a great variety of works, many of which have been printed, and many more remain in manuscript.

The book above described was dedicated to Pope Paul II. in the address to whom, Santius relates that there was a controversy between his mother and his other relations, whether he should pursue the study of theology or of law, his mother being inclined to the former. He, however, addicted himself to the latter, "non tamen prætermissis sacrarum Literarum at Moralis Philosophiæ exercititiis."

After the completion of his education the same controversy between the same individuals again took place, but he now determined for himself to pursue the ecclesiastical profession.

He became successively Archdeacon of Trevigno, Dean of Leon first, and afterwards of Seville, and finally Bishop of Oviedo.

He died in 1470.

There

There were many editions of the Speculum vitæ Humanæ before the year 1500, and many of them are to be classed among the rarer books, particularly the editions by Gering, Crantz, and Friburger, at Paris, 1470-1472; one by Zainer at Augsbourg, 1471; by Philip de Lignamine, 1473, at Rome; by John de Westphalia at Louvain, sine anno; at Rome by Laver, sine anno. It was translated into French and published by Bart. Buyer, Lugduni, 1479: it was also printed in Spanish at Saragossa in 1491,

THURE

THURECENSIS (CONRADI) TRACTATUS DE COMETIS.

At the bottom of the last leaf but one, at the end of the work, are these words in capital letters:

SIT: LAUS: DEO:

ANNO: DOMINI: M.CCCC.LXXIIII: HANS AURL.

This book has been the occasion of much perplexity to bibliographers; who was HANS AURL? was he the printer, editor, corrector of the press, or the bookseller? I find no where any account of a printer so called.

The book consists of two parts, the first treats of comets generally, their formation, figure, orbit, &c. The second part has this title in capital letters on the twentieth leaf.

SECUNDA: PARS: EST: SERMO: PARTICULARIS: DE: COMETA: APPARENTE: ANNO: DOMINI: M.CCCC. LXXII.

This book is in a round character, and the paper white and good; there are no catch-words, signatures, &c. There are no initial letters in

the

the beginning of the work, or of the different chapters, but a large space is left for the illumination. By an error of the press, THURECENSIS is printed Thurecehsis.

Another difficulty arises as to the place where this book was printed; Maittaire assigns it to Rome, but Audiffredi knew nothing of it. The name of Leonhardus Aurl occurs at the end of some verses subjoined to an edition of Euse bius sine nota loci et Typographi, 1473.

It can hardly be necessary to speak of the rarity of this book, but Lord Spencer has a copy, and from this I have described it.

His Lordship also possesses the following:

(Conradi) THURECENSIS phisiti (sic) Tractatus de Cometis.

In fine

SIT: LAUS; Deo,

This is evidently in the Gothic type used by Helias Heliæ de Louffen, and has 44 lines in a page, and only extends to 12 leaves.

COMMEN

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