Lysand. You cannot have a greater affection towards the memory of the collector of the Bibliotheca Westiana than myself. Hark—! or is it only a soft murmur from a congregation of autumnal zephyrs!—but methought I heard a sound, as if calling upon us to look well to the future fate of our libraries—to look well to their being creditably catalogued—"For" (and indeed it is the voice of West's spirit that speaks) "my collection was barbarously murdered; and hence I am doomed to wander for a century, to give warning to the ——, ——, and ——, of the day, to execute this useful task with their own hands! Yes; even the name of Paterson has not saved my collection from censure; but his hands were then young and inexperienced—yet I suffer from this innocent error!" Away, away, vexed spirit—and let thy head rest in peace beneath the sod!
Alman. For heaven's sake, into what society are we introduced, sister? All mad—book mad! but I hope harmless.
Lysand. Allay your apprehensions; for, though we may have the energies of the lion, we have the gentleness of the "unweaned lamb." But, in describing so many and such discordant characters, how can I proceed in the jog-trot way of—"next comes such a one—and then follows another—and afterwards proceeds a third, and now a fourth!?"
Alman. Sir, you are right, and I solicit your forgiveness. If I have not sufficient bookish enthusiasm to fall down and worship your Caxtonian Deity, James West, I am at least fully disposed to concede him every excellent and amiable quality which sheds lustre upon a literary character.
Lysand. All offence is expiated: for look, the spirit walks off calmly—and seems to acknowledge, with satisfaction, such proper sentiments in the breast of one whose father and brother have been benefited by his book treasures.
The rapturous, and, I fear you will think, the wild and incoherent, manner in which I have noticed the sale of the Bibliotheca Westiana had nearly driven from my recollection that, in the preceding, the same, and subsequent, year, there was sold by auction a very curious and extraordinary collection of books and Prints belonging to honest Tom Martin,[389] of Palgrave, in Suffolk: a collector of whom, if I remember rightly, Herbert has, upon several occasions, spoken with a sort of veneration. If Lavater's system of physiognomy happen to receive your approbation, you will conclude, upon contemplating Tom's frank countenance—of which a cut precedes the title-page of the first catalogue—that the collector of Palgrave must have been "a fine old fellow." Martin's book-pursuits were miscellaneous, and perhaps a little too wildly followed up; yet some good fortune contributed to furnish his collection with volumes of singular curiosity.
[389] "Hereafter followeth" rather a rough outline of the contents of honest Tom Martin's miscellaneous and curious collection. To the ivth part I have added a few prices, and but a few. I respect too much the quiet and comfort of the present race of bibliomaniacs, to inflame their minds by a longer extract of such tantalizing sums given for some of the most extraordinary volumes in English Literature.——i. A Catalogue of the Library of Mr. Thomas Martin, of Palgrave, in Suffolk, lately deceased. Lynn, Printed by W. Whittingham, 1772, 8vo. With a portrait engraved by Lamborn, from a painting of Bardwell. 5240 articles; with 15 pages of Appendix, containing MSS.——no. 86. Juliana Barnes on Hawking, &c., black-letter, wants a leaf, folio. 56. Chauncey's History of Hertfordshire, with marginal notes, by P. Le Neve, Esq., 1700, folio. 757. Scriptores Rerum Brunsvicensium, 3 vols. folio, 1707. ("N.B. Only 3 sets in England at the accession of Geo. III.")——ii. A Catalogue of the very curious and numerous collection of Manuscripts of Thomas Martin, Esq., of Suffolk, lately deceased. Consisting of Pedigrees, Genealogies, Heraldic Papers, Old Deeds, Charters, Sign Manuals, Autographs, &c., likewise some very rare old printed books. Sold by auction by Baker and Leigh, April 28, 1773, 8vo. The MSS. (of many of which Edmonson was a purchaser) consisted of 181 articles, ending with "The 15 O's, in old English verse—St. Bridget." Among the 19 volumes only of "Scarce Printed Books" were the following:—no. 188. Edwards' Paradyse of daynty Devices, 1577. 196. The Holy Life of Saynt Werburge, printed by Pynson, 1521. The Lyfe of Saynte Radegunde, by Pynson. Lyfe of Saynt Katherine, printed by Waley, 4to.——iii. A Catalogue of the remaining Part of the valuable Collection of the late well known Antiquary, Mr. Martin, of Palgrave, Suffolk: consisting of many very valuable and ancient Manuscripts on vellum, early printed black-letter Books, and several other scarce Books; his Law Library, Deeds, Grants, and Pedigrees; a valuable collection of Drawings and Prints, by the best masters—and his Collection of Greek, Roman, Saxon, and English Coins—with some curiosities. Sold by auction by Baker and Leigh, 18th May, 1774. 8vo. This collection consisted of 537 articles, exclusively of the coins, &c., which were 75 in number. Among the printed books were several very curious ones; such as——no. 88. The Death and Martyrdom of Campione the Jesuite, 1581, 8vo. 124. Heywood's "If you know not me, you know nobody," 1623, 4to. "This has a wood-cut of the whole length of Q. Elizabeth, and is very scarce." 183. Fabyan's Chronicle. This I take it was the first edition. 186. Promptuarium Parvulorum. Pynson, folio, 1499. See Hearne's Peter Langtoft, vol. ii., 624-5. 228. Dives et Pauper; yis Tretyys ben dyvydit into elevene partys, and ev'ry part is dyvidit into chapitalis. "The above extremely curious and valuable Manuscript on vellum is wrote on 539 pages. Vide Leland, vol. ii., 452: Bale, 609. Pits, 660. MS., 4to." 236. Original Proclamations of Q. Elizabeth, folio. "A most rare collection, and of very great value: the Earl of Oxford once offered Mr. Martin one hundred guineas for them, which he refused." Qu. what they sold for? 237. The Pastyme of the People; the Cronycles of dyvers Realmys, and most specyally of the Realme of Englond, &c., by John Rastell. An elegant copy, in the original binding, large folio, black-letter, London, 1529. "Supposed to be only two or three copies existing;" but see [page 337], ante. The folio Manuscripts, extending to no. 345, are very curious; especially the first 60 numbers.——iv. Bibliotheca Martiniana. A Catalogue of the entire Library of the late eminent Antiquary Mr. Thomas Martin, of Suffolk. Containing some thousand volumes in every Language, Art, and Science, a large collection of the scarcest early Printers, and some hundreds of Manuscripts, &c., which will begin to be sold very cheap, on Saturday, June 5 (1773). By Martin Booth and John Berry, Booksellers, at their Warehouse in the Angel Yard, Market Place, Norwich, and continue on sale only two months: 8vo. This Catalogue is full of curious, rare, and interesting books; containing 4895 articles; all priced. Take, as a sample, the following:
| NO. | s. | d. | |
| 4071. | Wynkyn de Worde's reprint of Juliana Berners' book of Hawking, &c., 1496, folio, 1l. 11s. 6d.: no. 4292. Copland's ditto of ditto, fair | 7 | 6 |
| 4099. | A collection of Old Romances in the Dutch Language, with wood-cuts, very fair, 1544 to 1556, folio | 10 | 6 |
| 4169. | Horace's Art of poetry, by Drant, 1567, 4to. | 3 | 6 |
| 4234. | A certayne Tragedye, &c., entitled, Freewil, wants title, very fair and scarce, 4to. | 5 | 0 |
| 4254. | Historie of Prince Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, 1634, 4to. | 7 | 6 |
| 4336. | The Life off the 70 Archbishopp off Canterbury presentlye sittinge, &c. Imprinted in 1574, 8vo., neat | 10 | 6 |
| A severe satire against Parker, Abp. of Canterbury, for which 'tis said the author was punished with the loss of his arm. | |||
| 4345. | Amorous Tales, by James Sanforde, very rare, printed by Bynneman, 1567, 12mo. (or small 8vo. perhaps) | 5 | 0 |
| 4432. | Hereafter followeth a little boke whyche hath to name Whye come ye not to court: by Mayster Skelton; printed by Anthony Kytson, no date. A little boke of Philip Sparrow, compiled by Mayster Skelton; printed by Ant. Veale, no date, very fair, both 8vo. | 7 | 6 |
| "This is a most extraordinarily scarce edition of Skelton's Pieces, and has besides these, some other fragments of his by various early printers." |
But I proceed. The commotions excited in the book world, by means of the sales of the Bibliotheca Westiana and Martiniana, had hardly ceased, when a similar agitation took place from the dispersion of the Monastic Library which once belonged to Serjeant Fletewode;[390] a bibliomaniac who flourished in full vigour during the reign of Elizabeth. The catalogue of these truly curious books is but a sorry performance; but let the lover of rare articles put on his bathing corks, and swim quietly across this ocean of black-letter, and he will be abundantly repaid for the toil of such an aquatic excursion.
[390] The year following the sale of Mr. West's books, a very curious and valuable collection, chiefly of English literature, was disposed of by auction, by Paterson, who published the catalogue under the following title: "Bibliotheca Monastico-Fletewodiana." "A Catalogue of rare books and tracts in various languages and faculties; including the Ancient Conventual Library of Missenden Abbey, in Buckinghamshire; together with some choice remains of that of the late eminent Serjeant at Law, William Fletewode, Esq., Recorder of London, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth; among which are several specimens of the earliest typography, foreign and English, including Caxton, Wynkyn de Worde, Pynson, and others: a fine collection of English history, some scarce old law books, a great number of old English plays, several choice MSS. upon vellum, and other subjects of literary curiosity. Also several of the best editions of the classics, and modern English and French books. Sold by auction by S. Paterson, December," 1774, 8vo., 3641 lots, or articles. I am in possession of a priced catalogue of this collection, with the names of the purchasers. The latter were principally Herbert, Garrick, Dodd, Elmsley, T. Payne, Richardson, Chapman, Wagstaff, Bindley, and Gough. The following is a specimen of some curious and interesting articles contained in this celebrated library: