This is the second edition and the first printing of the work at Rome: It is enlarged with the just-noted “Diarium” and with “other substantial additions by Robert Persons who saw it through the press” (Allison and Rogers).

Provenance:  Purchased from Ludwig Rosenthal's shop in 2000; in a private collection until 2016.

•  Edit16 CNCE 26601; Graesse, Trésor de Livres rares et précieux, VI, 262; Allison & Rogers, Contemporary Printed Literature of the English Counter-Reformation, I, 973.   Early vellum over pasteboards, raised bands; author and title inked early to spine, and a small, old paper shelf-label to top compartment. Text slightly foxed, two blank margins repaired of old, tear in one leaf repaired. A nice copy.  (36737)

Marks of readership: Sparse underlining, a couple annotations, and manicules, all in early ink.

•  Adams S469; CNCE 23210; Sander 6767; Essling 1465; Giovannozzi no. 27; D. Weinstein, “Il Manuale per confessori del Savonarola,” in Memorie Domenicane, N. 29 (1998), pp. 21–38.   20th-century patterned paper–covered boards, faded blue edges (with a few marginal stains from the blue paint); trimmed close, especially at foot. Repairs to first and final leaves affecting one word in the title and a few letters in the letter to the editor; small tear to one leaf's upper margin crossing headline without loss; final quire with most leaves repaired at gutter and two at the top inner margin; leaves 92 to end with both a very small semicircular area of insect-gnawing to fore-edges and a modest brown stain in the upper outer corners not affecting text. A good, evocative little book.  (27049)

Printed in gothic type (title in roman), 35–36 lines in single-column format, with side- and shouldernotes, the volume offers handsome criblé woodcut initials at the beginning of every sermon but two; sermons 9 and 17 instead have guide letters. The title-page bears a very large “phoenix” printer's device; errata are printed on the final two leaves.

•  Adams S506; Brunet V, 168; Graesse, VI, 283; CNCE 33380; Giovannozzi 153; Ridolfi v. 1, no. 3 (and pp. 24–27); Catalogo della collezione Guicciardiniana della Bib. Nazionale Centrale di Firenze 306; on Savonarola's return to Florence and sermons on First John, see: Villari, The History of Girolamo Savonarola (1863), Book I, ch. VIII.   20th-century crushed black morocco: covers plain, spine with author, title, place, and date of publication in gilt. Gilt double rule on board edges, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all bright. All edges gilt over red. A few minor stains and very mild foxing to the final two leaves; manuscript underlining on one page. Very good++. In fact an exceptionally lovely volume.  (27056)

Also present is a printing of his Regulae septem ad omnes religiosos, a brief and strict rule for priests, friars, and brothers wishing to live a proper life.

Title-page in roman type and with a large woodcut of Savonarola in his cell writing (Savonarola on the left, window without bars). The text is printed in gothic with three large woodcut initials. The printer's large, handsome device appears below the colophon.

“Novissime cum textuu[m] annotationibus omnia diligenter recognita.”

•  Adams S493; Essling 1464; Giovannozzi 120.   20th-century vellum over light paste boards, old style. Top margin of verso of title-page with small paper repair. Brown stain in in lower part of some leaves but not all; into text on most affected leaves but not all. Lacks final blank (only). Good+.  (27052)

Of this work there exist two redactions, both published posthumously: One incomplete in three books (Venice 1537), and this, complete in seven. Savonarola probably composed these consolations ca. 1497 (see Giovannozzi) — the year he was excommunicated, and one year prior to his public burning at the stake in Florence.

Printed in roman type, 23 lines in single-column format, with side- and shouldernotes and with woodcut initials at the beginning of each book, this bears on its title-page a woodcut printer's device of a phoenix in flames facing the sun. Errata are printed on the recto of the final leaf.

•  Not in Adams. Giovannozzi 223; Ridolfi, Vita, I, 313, and II, 193; Catalogo della collezione Guicciardiniana della Bib. Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, Suppl. III, p. 41; CNCE 47754.   20th-century vellum, a bit sprung, with remnant of an old paper shelf label at base; lacks final blank (only). Light brown stain in upper part of last two leaves and even lighter old staining elsewhere; otherwise, the odd spot only. Very good.  (27059)

•  19th-century cream paper–covered boards with handwritten spine labels of paper, all edges speckled red; well rubbed with some loss of paper, dust-soiled especially to spines and top edges. Ex–seminary library with remnants of spine labels, bookplates on front pastedowns and a fly-leaf, small inking on endpapers, and light pencilling to title-page versos and one leaf of text. Light age-toning, with pinprick wormhole affecting margins or parts of letters (but not sense) in several gatherings, wormtracking on inner margins of a few others; a few paper flaws, small spots or stains, two repairs, one marginal tear with paper loss, another small marginal hole, two leaves with inked notes. In fact a nice old trio.  (37076)

Attributed to Luke Shepherd by Halkett and Laing, this is a satirical poem, a dialogue in verse, on the Eucharist, and could even be seen as a short play. It is printed in gothic (black letter) type witha large woodcut of a procession of the Eucharist on the title-page.

None of the copies reported to WorldCat, COPAC, or NUC are described as printed on vellum. The copy that Alston found at the British Library is not findable via the BL OPAC.

Provenance:  Early 19th-century manuscript ownership on front fly-leaf: “Thomas Briggs Esq., Edgeware Road.” Most recently in the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Alston, Books Printed on Vellum in the Collections of the British Library, p. 35; Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.), III, p. 192; Halkett & Laing (3rd ed.), J21 (var.) l NSTC, I, S1667.   Original dun colored boards with beige linen shelfback; rebacked, and binding discolored. “25 copies Printed on chosen Parchment” written in ink in an early 19th-century hand in lower margin of the title-page. Foxing, heaviest on last three leaves; last page (a publisher's note and colophon) lightly inked and so a little faint. A nice find for the collector of printing on vellum, letterpress facsimiles, or reprints of rare 16th-century English tracts.  (34699)

Provenance:   From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Halkett & Laing (2nd ed.), III, p. 192; Halkett & Laing (3rd ed.), J21 (var.) l; NSTC, I, S1667.   Original dun-colored boards; discolored with abrading along board edges and joints (outside). Foxing to blank pages and lesserly to text; stock of the text pages tan. A classic 19th-century production.  (39519)

This is this history’s first edition and was followed by 1579, 1593, and 1628 editions. It is printed with a woodcut printer’s device on the title-page showing the goddess Liberty with two books labelled “Bononia docet” (“Bologna teaches”) at her feet. The text is enclosed in double-ruled borders and simply ornamented with a few woodcut initials, one of which shows Juno being pulled in her chariot by peacocks.

•  Adams S1117; Soltész, Catalogus librorum sedecimo saeculo . . . in Bibliotheca Nationali Hungariae . . . S524. On Sigonius, see: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., XXV, 82; and Sandys, History of Classical Scholarship, II, 143–45. Full calf old style: Round spine with raised bands, accented in gilt beading; tan leather title label; fillets in blind extending onto covers from each band to terminate in trefoils with blind double fillets beyond. Pages lightly washed, clean, and crisp: a few instances of staining, not obscuring text; a few short notations in ink and occasional worming in the margins, neither affecting text; ink stain on p. 95 obscuring letters without loss of sense. Inked title on lower edge, old style. Three ink ownership stamps on title-page. EEe3–4, the last two leaves of the index, are lacking. (4561)

Evidence of Readership: A reader has helpfully added inked marginal reference numbers approximately every eight lines, for ease of navigation, and entered one small correction in an early hand.

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Schreiber, Colines, 68; Renouard, Simon de Colines, pp. 166–7; Moreau, Éditions parisiennes du XVI siècle, III, 2292; Adams S1957.   Bound as above, gently rubbed with some loss of leather at corners; joints (outside) refurbished and front one beginning to crack but covers solidly attached. A few pencilled notes on endpapers; faint touches of hand-coloring on title-page and (perhaps) one leaf of text. Light age-toning with a handful of spots, three small marginal paper flaws including one to title-page; two other small holes and one repair. Provenance and readership markings as above, perhaps a third of the marginal numbers partially trimmed. A pleasurable book to hold oruse.  (38144)

In addition to the royal printer’s woodcut device on titles, the works all also have interesting decorated initials and ornaments.

Binding:  Late 18th-century green sheep, board edges gilt with a decorated fillet with stars in a chaine; spine gilt with Greek fillet and urns. Gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt.

Provenance:  From the library of the Hardens of Crea, King’s Co., in Ireland, and probably bound in Dublin in the second half of the 18th century. Armorial bookplate printed in red of Henry Hurden, L.L.B.; most recently in the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  I: Not in Brunet or USTC. II: USTC 171954; Pettegree & Walsby 87229; Renouard 1584 06:14:1; Brunet, V, 614. III: Adams, C1546. Bittrich, “Outline of a General History of Speculation about Dreams,” in On Prophecy, Dreams and Human Imagination (2014), 71–96.   Bound as above, second work lacking parts II and III, rubbed and with spine a little sunned; text remarkably clean, with generous lower margins. Light age-toning small light water stain at foot of a few leaves; two pages in last section with old pencilled underlining. Handsome Greek printing with pleasing provenance.  (37798)

Binding:  16th-century polished calf expertly rebacked in slightly lighter leather; spine plain with raised bands accented by blind rules above and below each band. Covers blind-ruled with large gilt fleurons to corners and gilt floral centerpieces. All edges gilt.

Provenance:  Contemporary inscription “Perrot” to title-page (possibly Charles Perrot, 1541–1608, a Protestant minister in Geneva who preached religious tolerance and so fell out of favor with Calvin); slightly later name “Langloir” also inked to same. Small 19th-century photographic portrait of a military officer pasted to verso of front free endpaper. Most recently in the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

Pettegree & Walsby record two copies, one in the U.S. (Harvard); WorldCat and COPAC find no copies with Bogard’s imprint.

•  Renouard, Imprimeurs & libraires Parisiens du XVIe siècle, 281; Pettegree & Walsby, French Books, 8834.   Bound and rebacked as above, with onetime cracking to covers near joints also strengthened/refurbished with darkening to leather; minor repair to corners, and later endpapers. Text double-ruled in red, with occasional slight toning and a little foxing to the title-page and last three leaves; a slender waterstain to the upper blank margin of the last two leaves and a small repair to the outer blank margin of the last.A very nice copy in an interesting binding.  (40794)

Topics found in this collection of correspondence are wide ranging: Dante and terze rime, poetic style, preference for the Tuscan dialect, the fountains and viaducts of Rome, proper use of honorifics in letters, the letter “H” in Tuscan Italian and whether it is aspirated or not, teaching the alphabet to beginners, how a prince should react to those who speak ill of him, and the use of Greek words and terms.

This edition “con nuova aggiunta ristampati, & con somma diligenza da molti errori corretti” is printed in italic, and divided into seven “books,” each “book” beginning with a woodcut factotum initial. The printer's handsome woodcut device graces the title-page and the volume ends with three useful indices.

Provenance:  Black-stamped supra-libros (faded to “silver”) of Paulus von Pruan (1548–1616), the Nuremberg merchant and collector, and his signature on the front free endpaper; most recently in the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Adams T789; EDIT16 CNCE 30511.   Contemporary limp vellum (lacking front pastedown) with slightly yapp edges; evidence that an old manuscript leaf was repurposed in construction of spine and of now-absent ties. Occasionally a little old very light staining or foxing; clean and nice. A desirable copy.  (38143)

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  EDIT16 CNCE 60555; Mortimer, Italian 16th-Century Books, 523 (note); USTC 862550. This edition not in Adams.   Contemporary limp vellum, title inked on spine with red painted shelfmark, title inked on fore- and bottom edges in an early hand; vellum stained and cockled, heavily chipped at spine head and very loosely attached, endpapers torn and soiled with evidence of worming and a few bibliographical notes in ink and pencil. Booklabel as above; light age-toning throughout, with waterstaining to lower and outer portions of the very faint to moderate level that reduces price but not pleasure. This was printed on inexpensive paper, as evidenced by one leaf with a small hole and a few examples of uneven edges; it has also been well read, with a few loosely attached quires, worn edges, occasionally a spot or a tear. A scarce edition that in this copy has had plenty of adventures and is ready for more; the illustrations arewonderful.  (39635)