Christian Prayers. London, 1570.
20—Christian Prayers. London, 1570.
A simpler binding, but still one of great richness, covers a copy of Christian Prayers, printed in London in 1570.
This is covered in crimson velvet, measuring 6 by 3½ inches, and is worked largely with metal threads, mixed with coloured silks. In the centre is the crest of the family of Vaughan—a man's head with a snake round the neck. The crest rests on a fillet, and is enclosed in a twisted circle of gold with four coloured bosses. From the upper and lower extremities of this circle spring two flower forms in gold and silver guimp, with sprays issuing from them bearing strawberries, grape bunches, and leaves, in the upper half, and roses and leaves in the lower. The grapes are represented by rather large spangles, and the leaves, worked in gold, have a few strands of green silk in them; large spangles, kept down by a short piece of guimp, are used to fill in spaces here and there. This is the first instance of the use of spangles on a velvet book. The back is tastefully ornamented with gold cord arranged diamond-wise, and having in each diamond a flower worked in gold.
Parker, De antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ. London, 1572.
21—Parker, De antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ. London, 1572.
This is one of the embroidered books that belonged to Queen Elizabeth, and has been frequently illustrated and described. It is remarkable in other respects than for its binding, as it is one of a number of probably not more than twenty copies of a work by Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, De antiquitate Ecclesiæ Britannicæ, printed for him by John Day in London, 1572. It was the first instance of a privately printed book being issued in England.
Archbishop Parker had a private press, and his books were printed with types cast at his own cost, John Day being sometimes employed as his workman. No two copies of this particular work are alike, and it is supposed that the Archbishop continually altered the sheets as they came from the press and had the changes effected at once. The book has two title-pages, each of which, as well as a leaf containing the arms of the Bishops in vellum, the ornamental borders, and coats-of-arms throughout the book, are emblazoned in gold and colours.