Accession number
PML 673
Object title
The dictes or sayengis of the philosophres
Uniform title
Dits des philosophes. English.
Published
Westmestre : enprynted by me William Caxton, the yere of our lord .M.CCCC.Lxxvii [1477, before 18 November]
Description
[78] leaves ; 28 cm (fol.)
Credit line
Purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Notes
Title and imprint from colophon (leaf [10]/2r): Here endeth the book named the dictes or sayengis of the philosophhres [sic] enprynted / by me William Caxton at Westmestre the yere of our lord .M.CCCC.Lxxvii. Whiche book is late translated out of Frenshe into englyssh. by the Noble and puissant lord Lord Antone Erle of Ryvyers lord of Scales [and] of the Ile of Wyght ...
The Rylands copy has an additional colophon with the date 18 Nov. 1477. Lotte Hellinga argues that the date is valid for the Rylands copy only, see Caxton in Focus (1982), pp.77-80, and BMC XI 109.
Printed in Caxton's type 2:135B.
Collation: [1-9⁸ 10⁶]: 78 leaves, leaves [1]/1, [10]/5, and [10]/6 blank.
Paper format: Chancery folio
Originally compiled in Arabic by Mubashshir ibn Fātik.
Translated from the French of Guillaume de Tigonville by Anthony Wydeville (or Woodville), Earl Rivers.
PML 673 has a press correction in [1]/4r and a later resetting of [4]/2.7, see BMC XI 109 & 327.
PML 673 leaf dimensions: 28 x 19 cm, trimmed.
PML 673 missing 3 leaves: [1]/1, [10]/5, and [10]/6 (blanks). Worm holes at end affecting some text.
The Rylands copy has an additional colophon with the date 18 Nov. 1477. Lotte Hellinga argues that the date is valid for the Rylands copy only, see Caxton in Focus (1982), pp.77-80, and BMC XI 109.
Printed in Caxton's type 2:135B.
Collation: [1-9⁸ 10⁶]: 78 leaves, leaves [1]/1, [10]/5, and [10]/6 blank.
Paper format: Chancery folio
Originally compiled in Arabic by Mubashshir ibn Fātik.
Translated from the French of Guillaume de Tigonville by Anthony Wydeville (or Woodville), Earl Rivers.
PML 673 has a press correction in [1]/4r and a later resetting of [4]/2.7, see BMC XI 109 & 327.
PML 673 leaf dimensions: 28 x 19 cm, trimmed.
PML 673 missing 3 leaves: [1]/1, [10]/5, and [10]/6 (blanks). Worm holes at end affecting some text.
Binding
18th-/19th-century blind- and gilt-stamped Russia calf over paper boards (29 x 20.5 cm), sewn on 5(?) supports by Charles Hering, London (ticket on verso of first fly leaf); hinges repaired. Plain paper pastedowns and fly leaves; decorative endbands; gilt edges.
Variant title
Dictes and sayings of the philosophers
Inscriptions/Markings
Hand decoration: Rubricated, red lombards and paragraph marks (looped-C type). Rubricator's signature(?): FL in rubricator's red (leaf [8]/7r, line 15). Annotations: Some contemporary and later notations (mostly NB marks) and pentrials. Inscriptions: "The heatthens in auld time did feate good [??] theyn the english now dad (leaf [2]/3r); "Ipocras great wysedomm hadd as storyes dat[?] declare and also loving did not wante..." (leaf [3]/1r); "sciamus es iamus" (leaf [4]/1r); "the condicion off this [?] oblygacion is such that [??] the above London(?) the white [??] (leaf [4]/1r); "I wold to god that as maney as in this booke shall red / that to the same they wold take good hedd / And that they wold not sett no store by covetusnes & pryd in so ding they may the better spedd" (leaf [5]/4r); another note on "obligacion" (leaf [6]/2r).
Provenance
Thomas Mohun, signature abraded (leaf [1]/2r); Barnabas Achym, inscriptions, 1662 (leaf [1]/3r); John Martin, inscriptions, 1666(?) (leaf [1]/3r, [1]/6r, [2]/5r); John Tome, signature (leaf [2]/2v, [3]/7r); John Janus (Johannes Janus), signature (leaf [4]/1r); Robert Cowche, signatures and "filius et hered[is]" inscription (leaf [6]/6v); William Wilton, "filius et heredis John Wylton," inscription, trimmed (leaf [6]/7r); Richard Hampton, signature (leaf [8]/7r); Bertram Ashburnham (1797-1878), Earl of Ashburnham, purchased Feb. 1848, shelf mark: 29.D. and note: A.W. 1848 (first fly leaf verso); his sale, Sotheby's, 25 June 1897, pt. I, lot 1384, to Quaritch; Bernard Quaritch, 1897, cat. 175, no. 555 and Oct. 1899, Rough List 193, no. 92; Richard Bennett (1849-1930), armorial bookplate (front pastedown) and bibliographical notes: No. 301, 2/2/1900 and price code: wrlr/-/- (first fly leaf verso); Pierpont Morgan, purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Classification
Catalog link
Century
Department