(Letters and Papers Hen. 8ᵗʰ Vol. 5. No. 1320. p. 572.)
Cromwell to Sir Thomas Audeley, Lord Chancellor. 11ᵗʰ Novʳ. 1534.
It is necessary to have some copies of the proclamation printed to night, that they may be sent to sundry parts with the books of answer. Desires him to send a true copy by the bearer. Will then send for Bartelet the printer, swear him and cause him to have them printed to-night. The Rolls, 11 Nov.
Asks him to have the proclamations written and sealed, and bring them to-morrow at 10 o’clock. The duke of Norfolk and he will tarry dinner till he comes.
Below is Audeley’s answer.
Will have 20 proclamations written as Cromwell wishes. Has commanded Crooke to deliver one true original to Bartelott with orders to set the print himself to-night, and make speed. Will be with Cromwell to-morrow at the hour appointed.
(Letters and Papers Hen. 8ᵗʰ Vol. 7. p. 535. No. 1415.)
The most important as well as the most interesting document concerning Berthelet is a long bill of his, giving details of books supplied by him to King Henry VIII., between the dates 1541-1543. This bill is written on twelve leaves of paper, and with it a warrant on vellum, signed by the king, ordering the payment to be made. Berthelet’s autograph receipt is also appended. This document was purchased by the British Museum in 1870, and although it does not seem that any of the items mentioned in it can positively be identified, there are many instances in which it is likely enough that in the same museum are some of the actual books referred to. (Add. MS. 28. 196.)
Several of the entries in this bill are of great interest. We find that many of the bindings were bound back to back; none now remain that were made at so early a date, but several instances of this curious method of binding that were made during the seventeenth century, bound both in leather and in satin, still exist.
White leather “gorgiously gilted on the leather” is mentioned more than once, and velvet, purple, and black were occasionally used, but the style of the decoration of it is left entirely to the imagination.