16052 BIBLE 1542. LIBRI PROPHETARUM. Esaias... Malachias. Item machanæorum libri duo. Lugduni [Leiden]: apud Seb. Gryphium, 1542.

8vo, (122x78mm), 931p, lacking pages 917-920, some staining particularly noticeable in the tail-spine corner from the beginning to page 67, in the head-fore corner of page 61, and again in the head-fore corner from page 833 to the end; 2 front blanks both badly worm-eaten and with some slight worming to the title; some early underscoring and marginal annotation, rubber-stamp of the Bibl. Capuciner Munster on the title. Lacking the front cover and spine, the rear cover ruled in blind and further ornamented small five-petal floral blind stamps and the brass studs of former clasp mounts. A list of the contents in manuscript capitals on the fore-edge. £300.00　

16053 BIBLE 1661. LE NOUVEAU TESTAMENT DE NOSTRE SEIGNEUR JESUS-CHRIST. De la traduction des Docteurs de Louvain... [bound with] LES EPISTRES DE S. PAUL, de la traduction des Docteurs de Louvain:.. 2 volumes in 1, Paris: (1) chez George Josse. (2) de l'imprimerie d'Est Maucroy, 1661.

8vo, (120x64mm), [4],403; 315p. title-page of the first named title in red and black with engraved vignette, a small hole (without textual loss) in the final leaf of the second named title. Modern morocco, rather crudely executed. £350.00

16365 DOMENICHI, Lodouico, &c. VITE DI PLUTARCO CHERONEO DE GLI HUOMINI ILLUSTRI GRECI ET ROMANI. Tradotte per M. Lodouico Domenichi, & altri. Et diligentemente confrontate co' testi Greci per M. Lionardo Ghini... Parte Seconda only. Venetia: appresso Marco Ginami, 1620.

4to, (203x150mm), [40],536p. printer's device on the title and ornate wood-engraved ornaments frames on the section titles, together with several head- and tail-pieces. Rebound in the mid-late 18th century, and shaved a little closely with occasional minor loss, in half vellum with leather spine lettering piece, (some worm activity in the spine) the sides covers with an attractive block-printed dominotier paper which is a little worn, rear hinge split. A very attractive example of decorated paper on a handsome example of Venetian printing employing a delicate italic typeface. £125.00　

16131 FORTIN, Philippe. TESTAMENT OU CONSEILS FIDELES D'UN PERE A SES ENFANS. Ou sont contenus plusieurs raisonnemens Chretiens, moraux & politiques. Nouvelle edition, Paris: chez Nicolas Le Gras, 1697.

 12mo, (160x92mm), [12],417p. ornament head- and tail-pieces and initial letters, title page slight soiled, otherwise a good copy in eighteenth century sprinkled calf, backstrips with raised bands, ornately gilt tooled in the compartments and with a red leather letting piece, joints and edges slightly rubbed. Early armorial bookplate and the later bookplate of Bibliotheca SS Redemptoris, Bruxelles, together with their rubber-stamp on the verso of the front free endleaf and title; red edges. A popular and influential work by a retired soldier who sought to present a testament of his aims to be both a good father and a loyal subject to his king. £115.00　

16618 [GEARING, William, or George and/or William GEAVES.] STATUS ECCLESIAE GALLICANAE: OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF FRANCE. From the first plantation of Christianity there, unto this time: describing the most notable church-matters and several councils holden in France, with their principal canons: the most famous men, and most learned writers, and the books they have written... London: Printed for Thomas Passenger... and Ralph Smith..., 1676.

4to, (216x165mm), [16],228,215,[15],[1]p. with the preliminary imprimatur leaf (signed by Roger L'Estrange) & the final errata leaf, title in red & black. Disbound. Described on the title as 'By the author of the late history of the church in Great Britain', this title is attributed to William Greaves by ESTC who, however, attribute that title to William Gearing. The dedication is signed G.R. and this has been extended in manuscript in an early hand to read G.Gearing, which might support Estc's attribution were it not for the fact that Gearing's forename is William. £200.00

16971 HENAO, Gabrielis De. SCIENTIA MEDIA HISTORICE PROPUGNATA sev ventilabtum repurgans veras a falsis nouellis narrationibus, circa disputationes celeberrimas de scienta media. Lugduni [Lyon]: Philippi Borde, Laurentii Arnaud, & Claudii Rigaud, 1655.

 Folio, (344x230mm), [8],92p. A fine, large, wood-engraved printer's device on the title and an engraved armorial device at the head of the dedication leaf; browned throughout, occasionally a touch heavily so, and with some damage to the fore margin of the final leaf. Contemporary full vellum, the front joint split and the front cover almost detached, some vellum missing from the head and tail of the backstrip. An extremely rare Lyon printing of a major work by one of Spain's most voluminous authors who was regarded as the most learned men of his country in the seventeenth century. The book first appeared in Salamanca in the same year. £425.00

16695 HUMPHREY, Laurence. IOANNIS IUELLI ANGELI, EPISCOPI SARISBURIENSIS VITA & MORS, eiusq[sic]; verae doctrinae defensio, cum refutatione quorundam obiectorum, Thomae Hardingi, Nicol. Sanderi, Alani Copi, Hieronymi Osorij Lusitani, Pontaci Burdegalensis. Londoni: Apud Iohannum Dayum typographum [London: John Day printer], 1573.

4to, (177x133mm), [32],269,[21]p. wanting the errata leaf and conjugate blank, engraved portrait mounted on later handmade paper, the title set within and ornamental frame of printers' ornaments, with handsome wood-engraved initial letters and textual ornaments, a little browned here and there and with a faint stain from 2H2 to the end, some early marginal annotation and textual underscoring, piece torn from 2E2 (p209/10) with some slight loss of text from 8 lones. Modern binders' cloth by B. Gorich of Marburg, with the binder's ticket on the rear pastedown endleaf. The first edition of Humphrey's life of Bishop John Jewel which also provides a vivid account of life at the University of Oxford during the reign of Edward VI. This book is also an example of the work of England's premier printer of sixteenth century and includes, in the memorial verse that concludes the book, two examples of his printing in Hebrew. £300.00　

16698 IRSON, Claude. METHODE ABREGE E ET FAMILIERE POUR APRENDRE en peu de temps a bien lire, a prononcer agreablement, & a ecrire corectement en Francois. Ouvrage tres-utile non seulement aux Etrangers; mais ausi aux Francois, qui desirent se pergectionnere en notre languem ou meme enseigner les autres. Paris: chex Pierre Baudiun... 1667.

12mo, (150x87mm), [22],262p. 2 leaves apparently excised from the preface and 4 other text leaves partly stained. Contemporary semi-limp vellum, endleaves of printers' waste. £65.00　

18171 [LANCELOT, Claude & Pierre NICOLE.] EPIGRAMMATUM DELECTUS EXOMNIBUS TUM VETERIBUS, tum recentioribus poetis accurate decerptus, &c. Cum differtatione, de vera pulchritude & edumbrata, in qua ex certis principiis, rejectionis ac selectionis epigrammatum causae reduntur. Adjectae sunt elegantes sententiae ex antiquis poetis parce sed severiori judicio selectae. First English edition, Londini: impensis Mosis Pitt, 1683.

8vo, (144x93mm), [56]128, 229-537p (as is correct), page 278 misprinted as 178, the final blank present, faint(ish) stain largely confined to the the tail half of the leaf throughout and part of the front free end-leaf cut. Later (?18thcentury) Panelled calf, joints and backstrip repaired. Previous owner's signature: 'E Libris J Crutchley e Coll. Reg. Oxon.' on the front pastedown endleaf and the later bookplate of St Mary's College, Oscott, Birmingham. The compilation of this collection of Latin epigrams is attributed to two prominent members of the Port-Royal school, it was adopted for use as a text book at Eton College and remained in use there until well into the eighteenth century. £150.00　

16801 [LANEY, Benjamin] THE SHEPHERD, OR THE PASTORAL CHARGE AND OBEDIENCE DUE TO IT; instituted by God as a necessary means to preserve the sheep from straying. London: printed for Timothy Gartwait, 1668.

4to, (190x144mm), [2],37p. slightly soiled. Disbound, signature of David Jones of Cairnarvon at the head of the title. ESTC, which locates 5 GB and 5 NA copies of this sermon, attributes the authorship to Benjamin Laney. £50.00　

12850 LUCIAN of Samosta. OEUVRES DE LUCIAN DE SAMOSA te avthevr Grec. De nouveau traduites en Francois & illustrees d'annotation &c. de maximes politiques en marge, par I.B [J. Baudoin]. Paris: chez Iean Richer, rue S.Iean de Latran... [1613.]

4to, (246x175mm), [2 engraved title], [2 dedication], [2 Vie de Lvcian], [8 table],577, [20 index]p. collates: [*1] á2 é4 A-7I4. The engraved title (no letterpress title) with 10 compartmented images surrounding the lettering. The title partly soiled and with two holes, one in the head margin, another with some loss from one of the images and some fragmentary loss from the fore-edge margin (just crossing the plate line). The first and last few leaves slightly damp stained in the fore and tail margins and with margins tears (with loss) in the fore-margin of the final three text leaves and rear blank. Contemporary limp vellum, soiled, one vellum fore-edge tie and the stub of another still present. A gift inscription (dated 1902) from H. Harrison to Abbe L Roller on the he turn in of the front cover, and another later signature (in ball-point pen for God's sake!) on the fore-edge turn in, and the bookplate of J.R. Nicholas Ross. £350.00　

16820 LYNDE, Humphrey VIA TUTA: THE SAFE WAY. Leading all Christians, by the testimonies, and confessions of our best learned adversaries, to the true, ancient, and Catholique faith, now professed in the Church of England. London; printed by G.M. [G. Miller] for Robert Milbourne..., 1628.

12mo, [24],323,[1]p. one leaf (L7) supplied in facsimile and a small paper repair to the fore margin of the title leaf. Sometime rebacked in near contemporary calf, floral ornament with the initials of a previous owner 'T F' in the centre of both the front and rear covers. £200.00　

16978 MANASSEH, [Ben Joseph] Ben Israel. MANASSAE ORATIO, ESDRAE LIB. III & IV. Cum indice bibliorum triplici. Coloniae: Jacobum Naulaeum, 1678. 24mo, (115x57mm), 64,[96]p. A small piece cut from the title with slight textual loss from the verso. Bound with: NOVUM TESTAMENTUM Domini Nostri Jesu Christi . Vulgate editionis juxta exempla Vaticanum anni 1592. Coloniae: Jacobum Naulaeum, 1679.

24mo, (115x57mm), 398,[18]p. Engraved title. Contemporary vellum. A rare copy of the first-named title which we are unable to locate in any library in the British Isles. The author established the first Hebrew Press in Amsterdam but is perhaps best known for his efforts to obtain the readmission of Jews into England during the Commonwealth. Copac records only the National Library of Scotland and Trinity College Dublin copies of the New Testament, from the same printing house as the Manasseh, which are here bound together. £375.00

20748 A MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A BOOK OF HOURS. [No place or date but circa 1450.]

Single leaf, (114x80mm), Latin, 15 lines written on both the recto and verso, written in black and red with rubricated initial letters in blue and red. Tipped into a modern card folder and contained in a binders cloth envelope chemise. £150.00

Folio, (350x227mm), [50],1009,[125],310,[14]p. frontispiece portrait engraved by T. Cecill, the seperate part title to Vitae Duorum Offarum present and carring the imprint of Miles Flesher as printer, dated 1639, paper reapir to the final leraf (without loss) and some slightly soiling of the first (licence) and final leaf. Contemporary, or near-contemporary, calf, the joints and corner tips sometime repaired, some slight scratching of the leather surface and some wear to the edges, armorial bookplate of Victor Albert George Charles Villiers, Early of Jersey; Osterley Park. Based on an earlier work by Roger of Wendover and also known as Flores historiarum, and probably based on an earlier St Albans chronicle, this new edition which appeared in 1640 was evidently a direct result of Matthew Parker's work. Indeed it was originally intended to be a mere reprint of Parker's edition, and its editor, Dr William Wats, who was chaplain to Prince Rupert, did not begin work on it until the text up to the annal for 1188 had been printed off. Wats's edition, though far from perfect, was a definite advance on Parker's. It was reissued twice (Paris, 1644; London, 1684), and was not superseded until Luard undertook in 1869 to re-edit the whole of the Chronica Majora for the Rolls Series. (Vaughan, Matthew Paris). £325.00

18422 PENN, William. NO CROSS, NO CROWN. A discourse shewing the nature and discipline of the holy cross of Christ, and that the denyal of self, and daily bearing of Christ's cross, is the alone way to rest and the kingdom of God... Second edition, London: printed and sold by Benjamin Clark, 1682.

8vo, (168x105mm), [22],415,[1]p. some browning throughout, lacking the front blank and with the final text leaf mounted (at an earlier date) on a guard at the inner margin with some very minor loss from the letterpress. Contemporary sprinkled and panelled calf, blind tooled, joints and edges rubbed, joints neatly repaired; early owner's signature of Joseph Jarrett, dated 1769 on the front pastedown endleaf together with several practise attempts at his Initials and forename, with a later excised signature dated 1854. First published in 1669 and here expanded; Estc offers 15 locations for copies of this issue of the second edition, one of three variants to appear in the same year. Penn sets out the rules for Quaker behaviour: rejection of hat honour, titles, the vanity of apparel, and promotion of the use of ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ when addressing one another, regardless of title, were the outward hallmarks of a simpler approach to life. Penn listed scriptural reasons for the rejection of outward vanities, observing ‘Honour was from the beginning, but hats, and most titles, here of late; therefore there was true Honour before hats or titles, and consequently true honour stands not therein’. Furthermore, he urges people to look further than man's outward appearance, not accepting any man just ‘for his gay cloathing, rich attire, or outward appearance.’ As Penn became more involved in the politics of dissent, he found it increasingly difficult to maintain the standard he set in this work. Nevertheless, it was the first coherent guide on Quaker behaviour. (DNB) £400.00　

17850 PLUTARCH. (Francois Tallemant translator) LES VIES DES HOMMES ILLUSTRES DE PLUTARQUE, Nouvellement traduites de Grec en Francois par Monsieur l'Abbe' Tallemant. 9 Volumes. [No place or imprint but ?Paris], 1681.

 12mo, (133x75mm), 500+ pages per volume, engraved frontispiece title to the first volume, Contemporary sprinkled calf, joints split, backstrips tooled in gilt, though somewhat rubbed, one lettering piece later replaced, armorial bookplate of Robert John Verney Lord Willoughby de Broke in all volumes. The final volumes being: Tables geographiques pour les views de hommes... dressees par R.P. Lunin. £550.00

15112 SCHICKARDI, Wilhelmi. HOROLOGIVM HEBRAEUM, sive Consilium, quomodo sancta lingua spacio xxiv. horarum ab aliquot Collegis sufficienter apprehendi queat... Franekeræ: imprinsis Johannis Dhuiringh bibliopolæ, typus Idzardi Alberti typographi 1651.

 8vo, (155x93mm), [9],117p. printed in Roman, Italic and Hebrew type, a faint stain in the fore - head are throughout, but generally a very acceptable copy in a contemporary sprinkled calf wallet binding as discussed in detail below. The binding on this early Hebrew – Latin grammar is of considerable interest in its own right. It is a variation of a wallet binding but without the flap which usually is provided to tuck in. The text block is sewn (through four sewing stations) on two leather thongs which are set into the boards. However, the tail thong at one hinge has broken. Since this book 'starts at the back' – as it were, what would normally be the rear fore edge turn-in is unglued (the head and tail turns-in are pasted down) and is left as a flap that extends for the full depth and almost the full height of the text block. The front (though really one should write rear) flap is of a similar size and has a semi-circular thumb notch cut out of the leather in the centre. The rear covering is pasted down onto the board, while the front is left free and the board interior is coloured red. Thus this construction provides a useful space for keeping [thin] things in. A simple two-line blind ruled frame ornaments both the front and rear covers which are in remarkably good state, and the edges of the text block are sprinkled with red pigment. The edges are slightly rubbed, the rear tail edge being slightly worn, and there is a small fragment missing from the tail of the backstrip. Such bookbinding reference material has we have been able to examine offers no parallels to this binding; one can but speculate that it is best described as a wallet binding and was perhaps intended for the use of students. £600.00　

14461 SCHOTTEN, Martin (Printer). A LEAF FROM von PASSAU, DIE VIERUNDZWANZIG ALTEN ORDER DER GOLDINTRON... Strasbourg [Strassburg]: Martin Schotten, 1483.

 Single leaf, folio, 291x182mm), unsigned leaf, 40 lines with space left for a rubricated initial on the recto, black letter. Slightly browned. £55.00

18770 SLEDIANUS, Johannes. DE QUATUOR SUMMIS IMPERIIS libri tres: postrema editione hac accurate recogniti. Amstelodami [Amsterdam]: Ludovicum Elzevirium, 1654.

 Cr.8vo, (114x52mm), 309,[23]p. Engraved title-page. Near-contemporary calf, two-line gilt border with floral corner ornaments, joints and head and tail of the backstrip worn, the front joint splitting at the head, marbled paper end-leaves on the pastedowns only, the front overlaid by a later bookplate. An extremely popular and important Reformation text which, in tracing the history of the Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman empires, posited a view of a linear progression of history. This typographically attractive edition follows in the great tradition of the justly-renowned Elzevir miniature classics which, for the elegance of design on such a scale and the clarity and regularity of the type, have remained unsurpassed. £125.00

19513 STOCKER, Jacob. SPRUCHE SALOMONIS DES WEISESTEN KONIGS: In welchen/ als in einem Taglichen Handbuch Gelehret wird/ wie ein jeglicher gleubiger Christ ein gut Leben fuhren soll/ fur Gott und der Welt. In hundert un neun und sechzig Predigten/ zu Jehna in der Stadkirchen erkleret... Jehna, Tobiam Steinman, 1621.

 Folio, (310x190mm), [16],1,221,[23]p.the numbered text leaves foliated only on the recto 1-610; the title pages printed in red and black with the words 'Salomonis des Weieesten Konigs' printed from a woodcut block and incorporating an ornately decorated capital, the word 'Spruche' printed in black from type which has been clearly printed before the red as the letters appear to have been dropped into a suitable hole cut in the woodblock. Printed largely in black letter with the index in Roman type and some very occasional Greek type; lightly browned throughout. Contemporary quarter vellum, the backstrip very worn and with some damage and loss, the sides formed from vellum leaves from an early printed book, yap edges though the vellum ties have been lost from the fore-edge. The first edition of a voluminous collection of sermons inspired by Solomon's book of proverbs by Jacob Stocker (1572-1649) a protestant minister at Jen and Eisleben, we can locate only two other copies of this book, both in German libraries. We have been unable to attribute the early printed leaves that are used on the front and rear covers but they are handsome enough in their own right; the front - printed in red and black - employing an attractive black letter type, mainly of a large size; that on the rear cover is probably from the same source though printed in two columns and in type of a small size. £575.00

17017 [VIEXMONT, Claude De & Pedro De SOTO.] METHODIS CONFESSIONUS, hoc est, ars sive ratio, &c. bevis quaedam via confitendi, in qua peccata & eorum remedia plenissime continentur. Ad haec XII. articulorum fidei cum pia, tumerudita explanatio. [Antwerp] Antverpiae : in audibus Ioan Steelfij, 1556.

 cr.8vo, (88x70mm), 272 leaves, printer's device on the title, paper repairs to the first six leaves with minor textual loss to three, and a small worn trail in the head of the final three leaves. Contemporary (?original) full vellum, blind tooled roll within a three line frame on the covers and with a diagonal blind fillet in the spine compartments, painted red vellum lettering piece (blank) on the backstrip, the covers slightly distorted. A rare Antwerp printing of this popular schoolbook for teaching Latin grammar through confession and penitential prayer. First published in Paris in 1531 for students of the College of Navarre, the book appeared under several variations of the title and was probably first revised by Pedro de Soto (probably the Jesuit of the same name) at the time of a Venice edition of 1545. A number of editions appeared in France, Germany, Italy and the Low Countries in the next half-century; none of them now in any way common, as befits a schoolbook that should have worn out through continual use. Despite the faults noted above, the internal condition on the whole is clean and bright and the manner of binding worthy of attention. The semi-stiff vellum binding has slightly distorted with time (or storage conditions) but not unduly so and is attractively ornamented with a blind tooled frame on the front and rear covers, vellum ties at the fore-edge have however, been lost. Is it impossible that this is an early example of a 'publisher's' binding? Vellum would make an excellent and hard-wearing material for a book designed for frequent, and perhaps rough, handling. Another point leading us towards this possibility is the cost-conscious construction of the binding which is composed of two pieces of vellum, one covering the front board and extending around the spine and about a quarter of the way across the rear board, where it overlays another piece of slightly different coloured vellum. However, the tooling is unbroken leaving us to suspect that this was as originally bound. An interesting little book we submit. £300.00　

18002 VINES, David. THE POSTURE OF DAVID'S SPIRIT when he was in a doubtfull condition. Opened in a sermon preached before the honourable House of Commons at Margarets Westminster, upon October 11, 1644. Being a day especially set apart for a publicke humiliation. London: printed by I.N. [i.e. John Norton], for Abel Roper, 1644.

 Sm.4to, (176x130mm), [2],[4],26p. title page set within a fleuron border, slightly creased at the head at the time of printing, the leaf carrying the House of Commons order to print present before the title rather than at the end of the text. Modern binder's boards, slightly soiled, bookplate. Vines, the vicar of both Weddington and Caldecot parishes in Warwickshire prior to his ejection from the livings, was regarded as an 'orthodox divine' and was frequently invited to peach before the Long Parliament. In this sermon he expresses his dismay at religion being debased into 'a kind of philosophy of opinions.' £120.00　

20296 WIDDRINGTON, Thoman. Sr. THo. WIDDRINGTONS SPEECH AT A CONFERENCE betweene both Houses, on Tuesday the 20 of July, 1641. At the transmission of the impeachment against Matthew Wren Doctor in Divinity, late Bishop of Norwich, and now Bishop of Ely. London: printed by E.G. [Edward Griffin] for R.Best, 1641.

 4to, (200x140mm), [8]p. some worm activity with resultant loss of text. Modern hardback boards. (ESTC R8408). Widdrington, onetime Speaker of the House of Commons, drew up the articles of impeachment against Bishop Wren, he presented them to the Lords on 20 July 1641, with a ‘smart, aggravating speech’ in which he accused Wren of suspending ‘painful ministers’ and of introducing ‘dead and venomous ceremonies.’ (DNB). £75.00