ECCIUS DEDOLATUS.
Mr. S.W. Singer, for an agreeable introduction to whom I am indebted to "Notes and Queries," having expressed a wish (Vol. ii., p. 122.) "to see and peruse" the rare and amusing satire, entitled Eccius dedolatus, authore Joanne-francisco Cottalembergio, Poeta Laureato, I shall willingly forward to him a quarto volume which contains two copies of it, at any time that an opportunity may present itself. In the meanwhile, he may not have any objection to hear that these are copies of distinct impressions; neither of them intentionally recording place or printer.
Four separate and curious woodcuts decorate the title-page of one exemplar, which was certainly printed at Basil, apud Andream Cratandrum. The topmost woodcut, dated 1519, is here misplaced; for it should be at the bottom of the page, in which position it appears when employed to grace the title of the facetious Responsio of Simon Hess to Luther. The second copy is in Gothic letter, and has typographical ornaments very similar to those used at Leipsic in the same year. A peculiar colophon is added in the Basle edition; and after the words "Impressum in Utopia," a quondam possessor of the tract, probably its contemporary, has written with indignation, "Stulte mentiris!" The duplicate, which I suppose to be of Leipsic origin, concludes with "Impressum per Agrippun Panoplium, Regis Persarum Bibliopolam L. Simone Samaritano et D. Juda Schariottide Consulibus, in urbe Lacernarum, apud confluentes Rhenum et Istrum."
Professor Ranke, referred to by Mr. Singer, was mistaken in assigning "March, 1520," as the date of Eccius dedolatus. The terms "Acta decimo Kalendas Marcii" are, I believe, descriptive of Tuesday, the 20th of February, in that year.
Perhaps Mr. Singer may be able to communicate some tidings respecting the Apostolic Prothonotary Simon Hess, of whom I have casually spoken. Natalis Alexander (Hist. Eccles., viii. 105. Paris, 1699) attributes the humorous production which bears his name ("Lege et ridebis," declares the original title-page) to Luther himself, amongst whose works it may be seen (tom. ii, fol. 126-185. Witeb. 1551); and it is a disappointment to read in Seckendorf, "Hessus Simon. Quis hic fuerit, compertum mihi non est." (Scholia sive Supplem ad Ind. i. Histor., sig. 1. 3. Francof. 1692.)
R.G.