On the discontinuance of the Sorbonne press in 1473, the printers, Crantz, Gering, and Friburger, moved into the neighboring Rue Saint-Jacques and set up a press, with new type, on their own account.  An edition of the Sophologium had been one of the last books printed at the old press.  A second edition was issued from the new press in 1475, of which the present edition is, in type, number of pages and lines, an exact reprint, but has printed signatures and is a quarto while that was a folio.  Caxton’s “Book of Good Manners,” printed in 1487, was a translation of “Le livre des bonnes meurs,” another work by the same author.

The present copy, bound in green morocco with gold borders and gilt edges, is from the Syston Park library, sold in December, 1884.  Leaf 10-3/4 x 7-1/4 in.

23.  HIERONYMUS.  Vaderboeck. [Zwolle], Peter van Os, 1 April, 1490.

Fol. 1^a, TITLE:  DIt boeck is ghenomet. dat vader boeck. dat in den latijne is ghehieten Vitas patru_m_. inhoudende dye historien en_de_ legenden der heyligher vaderen die hare leue_n_ in stre_n_gher penitencie ouerghebracht hebbe_n_ Ouergheset in goeder versta_n_delre duytscer sprake. [Rest of page occupied by two woodcuts.] Fol. 1^b:  [H]Ier beghint die tafele va_n_ desen boecke dat ghehieten is dat va (sic) vader boeck. Fol. 4^b:  Hier eyndet die tafef (sic) van den boecke..... Fol. 5^a:  [Woodcut of the Annunciation, which is repeated on the verso of the leaf.] Fol. 6^a:  Hier beghinnet dat eerste deel va_n_ desen boecke dat ghenoemet is Vitaspatrum in latijne. Fol. 165^b, COLOPHON:  Hier eyndet dat derde deel va_n_ desen boecke van den wo_n_derlijke wercken en_de_ goede exempele_n_ en_de_ goede leri_n_ghen der heigher (sic) vadere_n_ so als die heylige leraer Jeronim_us_ vut de_n_ griecke_n_ in den latine ghetoge_n_ heeft Ouergheset in goeder v_er_standelre duytscer spraken om salicheit alre goeder kersten me_n_scen.  Ghedruct bi mi Peter va_n_ Os In de_n_ iare ons heren Mcccc en_de_ xc. den eersten dach va_n_ den April. [PRINTER’S DEVICE, (shields of Zwolle and of the printer combined).] Fol. 166, blank.

Folio.  Sign.  A^4, a^8, b-z^6, A^4, B-D^6, 166 leaves, the last blank, 6-165 numbered i-clx. 2 columns, 36 lines to the column, gothic letter.  Two- to six-line spaces left for capitals.  The first initial of the title is a ten-line ornamental woodcut D. The two woodcuts on the title-page are printed from sections cut from the blocks of the Latin Biblia Pauperum, that on the left (Descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost) from the central panel of sign. p., that on the right (Jacob’s dream), from the right-hand panel of the sign. t.  Other sections of these blocks were used in like manner in other books of van Os.  In place of blank fol. 5 cut away, is inserted a full page woodcut of the Annunciation, printed on both sides of the leaf, on paper unlike any other used in the book.  Campbell 938.  Proctor 9135.

Prologue initial on fol. 6^a supplied in blue with pen ornamentation in red.  Chapter initials and paragraph-marks in alternate red and blue.  Initial-strokes in red.  Blank last leaf wanting.