THE COMPARATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF

THE ART OF PRINTING

IN ENGLAND AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES, ILLUSTRATED

BY SPECIMENS OF THE PRINTED BIBLE

CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED, 1450-1877.

B

by 11 inches.

No. 611.

IBLE (Latin). Begin. [With the prologue of Saint Jerome.] [F]Rater ambrosius tua michi munuscu-/la perferens. detulit siml' t suauissimas litteras: etc. [Genesis begins Fol. 5 recto col. 1 at the top. I]n principio creauit deus ceul et terram. End. [Fol. 641 verso, col. 2] Gratia dñi ñri ihesu cristi cu omnib; vobis ame. [Mentz, Joannes Gutenberg, 1450-55?] Gothic letters, first edition, 2 volumes, measuring 15 Folio. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination or signatures; 641 leaves printed in double columns, 42 lines to a full column; the initials and rubrics are in MS. throughout. The earliest book known, printed with moveable metal type; was formerly styled, unjustly to Germany, the "Mazarine Bible," but is now properly called the Gutenberg Bible. Some copies, which may be called a second issue, have 40 lines on the first eight pages, forty-one on the ninth, and the rest forty-two, like the present copy. In this latter issue the three lines in red at the beginning are in type, and not in manuscript, as in the 42 line issue.

612. PSALMS (Latin). Psalmorum Codex. Presens Psalmorum Codex venustate capitalium decoratus, rubricationibusque sufficienter distinctus, ad inventione artificiosa imprimendi ac caracterizandi absque calami ulla exaracione sic effigiatus, et ad eusebiam dei industrie est consummatus, per Johannem Fust civem maguntinum et Petrum Schoffer de Gernszheim anno domini MCCCCLVII. In vigilia Assumpcionis. [Mentz], 1457. Folio.

Lent by Her Majesty the Queen.

The Mentz Psalter on 138 leaves, the first book printed with a date and names of the printers. This large and sumptuous volume, probably the most magnificently printed book known, is on pure vellum. Indeed, we believe no copies are known printed on paper. It measures 16 by 12 inches.

613. PSALMS (Latin). Begin. Beatus vir qui nō abijt in cōsilio impio. [The Psalms, with the sacred canticles, creeds, prayers, and ecclesiastical Hymns.] End. PResens psalmo codex: venustate capitaliu. decoratus. rubricationibusq, sufficienter distinctus. adinuencōne artificiosa imprimendi ac caracterizandi: absq ulla calami exaracōne sic effigiatus. et ad laudem dei ac honore sancti Jacobi est osũat'. Per Joh'em fust civē magūtinū. et Petrū Schoifher de Gernssheym clericũ Anno dñi Millesimo cccc.lix. xxix. die mensis Augusti. Large Gothic letter. On vellum. [Mentz], 1459. Folio. Lent by the Earl of Leicester.

The second edition of the Mentz Psalter, without pagination, signatures or catchwords. 136 leaves, 23 lines in a page, with the plain chant noted throughout. The large ornamental capitals are printed in two colours, the smaller in red only. Nearly all the known copies of the first and second editions have minute variations, especially in the subscriptions, which appear to have been adapted to the particular church or monastery for which they were intended. This volume contains the earliest printed text of the Athanasian Creed.

614. BIBLE (Second Latin). Begin. [F]Rater ambro-/sius tua michi munuscula p/ferens. etc. [Genesis begins Fol. 6 verso, col. 1. at the top. In principio creauit deus celu t terram. End. [Fol. 882 verso, col. 2. lin. 6] bis amen. Gothic letter. [Bamberg: Albert Pfister, 1460?] Folio. 15 by 11 inches. Lent by Earl Spencer. Without title-page, pagination or signatures; 882 leaves printed in double columns, 36 lines to a full column. A copy in the Paris library has the rubrication dated 1461, proving that this Bible was printed prior to that date. But the cover of the Church Register of Bamberg being composed partly of waste leaves of this Bible, and the Register beginning with 21 March, 1460, it follows that these leaves were printed prior to this latter date.

615. BIBLE (Third Latin). Begin. [F]Rater ambrosius tua etc. [Genesis begins fol. 3 verso, towards the bottom of col. 2. I]N principio creauit deus celu et téram. End. [Fol. 477 recto col. 1.] Gratia dñi nři ih'u xpi cũ oñibs vobis amen. Gothic letter. [Strasburg: Jo. Mentelin, 1460 and 1461?] Folio. 15 by 11 inches. Lent by Earl Spencer.

2 vols.

Without title-page, pagination, or signatures; 477 leaves, printed in double columns, 49 lines to a full column. The rubrics and initials are in MS. throughout. A copy of this Bible is preserved in the library of Freiburg in Breisgau, with the rubrications of the volumes dated 1460 and 1461, ranking this edition as the third Latin Bible.

616. BIBLE (Fourth Latin). Begin. Incip epl'a sci iheronimi ad paulinū psbiterù: de omib' diuine historie libris. [Fol. 4 recto, col. 1. lin. 7.] Expl'. plogus. Jncip liber bresith que no genesim dicimis. [Fol. 242 verso, col. 2. end] laudet dominü. Alleluia. [Vol. 2. Begin.] Epistola sancti ieronimi. . . . de libris salomonis. End. [Fol. 239 recto, col. 2.] Gra dñi nfi ihesu cristi cũ omib' vobis ame. [followed by the Colophon in seven lines.] Pñs hoc opusculü Artificōsa adinuentione imẞmendi seu caracterizandi. absq calami exaracōn etc. 2 vols. Gothic letter. Per ioh'ez fust et Petru schoiffher de gerns'heym, in ciuitate Maguntñ. 1462. Folio. 16 by 12 inches. Magnificent copy on pure vellum. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination or signatures; vol. I has 242, and vol. 2, 239 leaves, printed in double columns, 48 lines to a full column. The first edition of the Bible having date, name of printer and place. From a collation of this with other copies on paper and vellum it appears that many of the leaves were reprinted, as for example, the first five in vol. I, and fol. 90-96, 207-216, and 227-242; in vol. 2, fol. 1, 51 recto, 121-124, and 233-239, etc. This magnificent copy is richly illuminated throughout in gold and colours. 617. BIBLE (Fourth Latin). Begin. Incip epl'a sci iheronimi ad paulinu psbiterũ, etc. Another copy printed on pure vellum. Per ioh'e fust et Petru schoiff her de gerns'heym, in ciuitate Maguntū, 1462. Folio. Lent by Earl Jersey.

This magnificent copy, a duplicate of No. 616, with some variations, is also splendidly illuminated throughout in brilliant colours, but the style of the illuminations of the two copies, though both exceedingly well done, is widely different.

618. BIBLE (Fourth Latin). Begin. Incip epl'a iheronimi etc. Per ioh'e fust et Petru schoiff her de gerns'heym, in ciuitate Maguntñ, 1462. Folio. 16 by 11 inches. A superb copy printed on paper. Lent by Henry Stevens, Esq.

This third copy is placed here as a good contrast with Nos. 616 and 617, printed on pure vellum. As many of the leaves have rough edges, they show that no copy on paper can be much taller or wider than this one, which is only a large fragment of this first Bible, with date, names of printers, and place. 619. PSALMS (Latin). Psalterium, etc. 126 leaves, twenty long lines in a full page, no signatures, catch-words or numbering. Large fine type resembling [Albert Pfister's, Bamberg, 1462?]. 4to.

Lent by the Bodleian Library.

620. BIBLE (First German). Begin. [B]Ruder Ambrosius der hat, etc. [Genesis commences fol. 4 recto, in col. 1. I]n dem anegang

geschieff got etc. End. [fol. 400 verso, col. 2.] Die genade vnsero herren ihe/su cristi sey mit vns allen Amen. [followed by five leaves containing the titles and arguments of the Psalms] End. in nach d'menig seiner grössung. Amen. [Strasburg: Joannes Mentelin, 1466 ?] Folio. 15 by 11 inches.

Lent by Her Majesty the Queen. Without title-page, pagination or register, 405 printed leaves in double columns, 60 lines to a full column; there is a blank leaf at the end of the Gospels. A magnificent copy, richly illuminated in gold and colours. 621. BIBLE (First German). Begin. [B]Ruder Ambrosius der hat, etc. Another very fine copy. [Strasburg: Joannes Mentelin, 1466 ?]. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Folio.

405 printed leaves, 2 columns, 60 lines in a full column. This is also a splendid copy, beautifully illuminated in gold and colours, but in a style quite different from No. 620, lent by Her Majesty the Queen.

622. BIBLE (Second German). Begin. [B]Ruder Ambrosius d'hat vns bracht ein deine gab etc. [preceded by two leaves containing the table of rubrics. Genesis begins in col. 1 on the recto of fol. 6. A]N de angang beschüff got den hymel vñ die erde. End. [fol. 400 verso, col. 2.] . . . Die genad vnsers herren jhesu cristi sey mit vns allen. Amen. [followed by five leaves containing the titles and arguments of the Psalms] End. in nach d'meing seiner grössung. Amen. [Strasburg: Heinrich Eggestyn, 1466?] Folio. 16 by 11 inches. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination or register. 405 leaves printed in double columns, 60 lines to a full column; foll. 2, 103, and 157 have the verso blank. 623. BIBLE (Latin). Begin. [F]Rater ambrosi' tua etc. [Genesis begins fol. 4 verso, col. 2, lin. 1o. I]N principio creauit deus celu t terrā. End. [Fol. 631 verso, col. 2.] vobis amen. [Followed by a table of rubrics occupying four leaves.] Gothic letter. [Strasburg H. Eggestein, 1468?] Folio. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination, or signatures; 635 leaves, printed in double columns, 41 lines to a full column. The rubrics and initials are in MS. This is the first edition of the Latin Bible by Eggestein. This copy wants the four leaves of the table of rubrics.

624. BIBLE (Latin). Begin. [F]Rater ambrosius tua mi/chi munuscula perferens, etc. [Genesis begins fol. 4, col. 2. I]N principio creauit deus celu t terrā. End. [Fol. 493 verso, col. 2, lin. 7.] mini ñri ihesu cristi cũ omnibis vobis amē. Gothic letter. [Strasburg: H. Eggestein, 1469?] Folio.

Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination, or signatures; 493 leaves, printed in double columns, 45 lines to a full column; the verses of foll. 124 and 330 are blank; the initials and rubrics are in MS. throughout. This edition is sometimes attributed to J. Baemler of Augsburg; but the type is the same as that

of the edition generally attributed to Eggestein. The book contains the same paper-mark as that which is undoubtedly Eggestein, and is one of the marks ascribed to him by Sotheby in the Typography of the fifteenth century.

625. BIBLE (Third German). Begin. Hie hept sich an die vorred oder die epistel des heiligen priesters sant Jeronimi zu paulinum von al en gotlichen historien d' brüder vnder der Bible Das erst capitel. End. Die genade vnsers herrn ihesu cristi sei mit vns allen. Amen. Deo Gracjas End. Hje hebt sich an ein Register über die bücher & Biblen, etc. [Augsburg? J. Pflanzmann? or C. Fyner? Eslingen? 1470?] Folio. 15 by 10 inches.

Without title-page, signatures, or pagination. 54 lines in a full column.

Lent by Earl Spencer. Printed in double columns,

626. BIBLE (Latin). Begin. [T]Abula omniu diuine scpture seu biblie libro [occupying twenty-eight leaves. Fol. 29 begins] Incipit epl'a sacti iheronimi ad paulinu etc. [Fol. 33 recto, col. 2.] Explicit plogus. Incipit liber bresith quem nos genesim dicim'. End. [Fol. 724 recto, col. 2.] Explicit liber apocalipsis beati Johannis apostoli. Gothic letter. 2 vols. [Cologne : Ulric Zell, 1470?] Folio. 11 by 8 inches.

Lent by Earl Spencer. Without title-page, pagination, or signatures; 724 leaves, printed in double columns, 42 lines to a full column.

627. BIBLE (Latin). Another edition.

[Cologne: Ulrich Zell, 1470?] Lent by the Bodleian Library.

Two columns of 42 lines to a full column.

628. BIBLE (Italian). Begin. [Fol. 7 recto.] Prologo. Qvi comincia la solemne Epistola di Sancto Hieronymo reportata per

prologo sopra tutta la Biblia. [Foll. 1-6 are occupied by tables of the books of the old Testament, and a table of chapters to the first part. Fol. II verso.] Biblia in lingva volgare tradutta: lo primo libro secondo la lingva Greca etc. [Fol. 316 verso.] Finisse il Psalterio di David. [Part 2, fol. 1. Begin.] Prologo. di. San. Jeronimo. supra. ilibri. Disalomone. End. [Fol. 331 verso.] Qvivi finisse Lapocalipsis et e il fine del novo testamento M.CCCC.LXXI. In Kalende. de Octobrio. [followed by one leaf, containing on the recto: Tabula de testamento nouo.] Two parts. [Venice: N. Jenson,] 1471. Folio. 16 by 11 inches. Lent by Earl Spencer.

Without title-page, pagination, or signatures; part I contains 316, and part 2, 332 leaves, printed in long lines, 50 lines to a full page; the initial letters are either left blank, or printed in small characters throughout. Foll. I and 6 of part I are blank on the recto and fol. 5 on the verso. Foll. 206 and 232 of part 2 are blank on the verso.