| 3288. | The Armes, Honours, Matches, and Issues of the auncient and illustrious Family of Veer: described in the honourable progeny of the Earles of Oxenford and other branches thereof. Together with a genealogical deduction of this noble family from the blood of 12 forreyne princes: viz. 3 Emperours, 3 Kings, 3 Dukes, and 3 Earles, &c. Gathered out of History, Recordes, and other Monuments of Antiquity, by Percivall Goulding, Gent. The Arms illuminated, folio. | 9 | 0 | 0 |
I will just add that this catalogue is creditably printed in a good size octavo volume, and that there are copies upon large paper. The arrangement of the books is very creditable to the bibliographical reputation of Paterson.
[394] When the reader is informed that Paterson tells us, in the preface of this volume, that "In almost every language and science, and even under the shortest heads, some one or more rare articles occur; but in the copious classes, such as follow, literary curiosity is gratified, is highly feasted"—and that the author of this remark used, in his latter days, to hit his knee hard with his open hand, and exclaim—"By G——, Crofts' Catalogue is my chef d'œuvre, out and out"—when he reflects, I say, for a minute upon these two bibliographical stimuli, he will hasten (if he have it not already) to seize upon that volume of which the following is but an imperfect specimen of the treasures contained in it: "Bibliotheca Croftsiana: A Catalogue of the curious and distinguished Library of the late Reverend and Learned Thomas Crofts, A.M., &c. Sold by auction, by Mr. Paterson, in April, 1783," 8vo. This collection, containing 8360 articles, although not quite so generally useful as the preceding, is admirably well arranged; and evinces, from the rarity of some of the volumes in the more curious departments of literature, the sound bibliographical knowledge and correct taste of Mr. Crofts: who was, in truth, both a scholar and bibliomaniac of no ordinary reputation. I hasten to treat the reader with the following Excerpta Croftsiana: being a selection of articles from this catalogue, quite according with the present prevailing fashion of Book-Collecting:
| NO. | £ | s. | d. | |
| 2741. | Raccolta de Poeti Provenzali MS. antiq. Supermembr., 8vo., cor. turc. avec une table des noms des troubadours contenu dans ce MS. | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| 4920. | Les cent nouvelles nouvelles, Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol., velin Paris, imprimées par Nic. Desprez. m.d.v. | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| 4921. | Le Chevalier de la Tour. Et le guidon des guerres; lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge, imprimé à Paris, pour Guil. Eustace. m.d.xiv. | 2 | 17 | 0 |
| 4922. | Le premier, second, et tiers volume de Lancelot du Lac; nouvellement imprimé à Paris. L'an mil cinq cens et xx, pour Michel le Noir; Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge | 10 | 15 | 0 |
| 4923. | Le premier et le second volume du Sainct Greaal, contenant la conqueste dudict Sainct Greaal, faicte par Lancelot du Lac, Galaad Perceval et Boors; Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge, Paris, imprimé par Phel le Noir, m.d.xxiii | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| "Ce volume est un des plus rares de la classe des Romans de Chevalerie. T.C." | ||||
| 4924. | Ci Commence Guy de Warwick chevalier Dangleterre qui en son tems fit plusieurs prouesses et conquestes en Allemaigne, Ytalie, et Dannemarche. Et aussi sur les infidelles ennemys de la Crestienté; Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge. Paris, imprimé par Ant. Couteau, m.d.xxv. | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| 4925. | Le premier et le second volume de Merlin, qui est le premier livre de la table ronde, avec plusieurs choses moult recreative: aussi les Prophecies de Merlin, qui est le tierce partie et derniere: Lettres Gothiques, 2 tom. 4to., maroq. rouge, Paris, m.d.xxviii. | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| 4926. | La treselegante, delicieuse, melliflue, et tresplaisante Hystoire du tresnoble, victori, et excellentissime roy Perceforest, Roy de la Grand Bretaigne, fundateur du Francpalais et du temple du souverain Dieu. En laquelle lecture pourra veoir la source et decoration de toute Chevalerie, culture de vraye Noblesse, Prouesses, &c. Avecques plusieurs propheties, Comptes Damans, et leur divers fortunes. Lettres Gothiques, 6 tom. en 3 fol., Paris, chez Galliot du Pre, m.d.xxviii. | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 4927. | Le tiers, quart, cinquiesme, sixiesme, et dernier volumes des Anciennes Croniques Dangleterre, faictz et gestes du trespreux et redoubte en chevalerie, le noble roy Perceforest: imprimé à Paris pour Egide Gourmont et Phil. le Noir, m.d.xxxii. 2 tom. folio | 0 | 11 | 6 |
| 4298. | Le Parangon des Nouvelles, honestes et delectables à
tous ceulx qui desirent voir et ouyr choses nouvelles et
recreatives soubz umbre et couleur de joyeuste, 8vo. fig.
maroq. rouge. Imprimez à Lyon, par Denys de Harsy, 1532 Les Parolles joyeuses et Dicts memorables des nobles et saiges Homes anciens, redigez par le gracieulx et honeste Poete Messire Francoys Petrarcque, fig. ib. 1532 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 4929. | L'Histoire de Isaie le triste filz de Tristan de leonnoys, jadis Chevalier de la table ronde, et de la Royne Izeut de Cornouaille, ensemble les nobles prouesses de chevallerie faictes par Marc lexille filz. au dict Isaye: Lettres Gothiques, avec fig., 4to., maroq. rouge. On les vend à Paris par Jehan Bonfons, 1535 | 2 | 12 | 6 |
| "There is no direct date either at the beginning or end, nor any privilege annexed to this rare Romance. Mr. Crofts, though extremely accurate, for the most part, has made no remark; neither has the industrious Mr. de Bure taken notice of this particular edition. The date is, nevertheless, obvious, according to my conjecture. After the words filz du dict Isaye, in the general title, at some distance, stand these numerals lxv. c. At first I apprehended they referred to the work, as containing so many chapters; but upon examining the table, I found the Romance to consist of 92 chapters: I conclude they must relate to the date of the book, and are to be read lxv. ante M.D.C., or 1535. S.P." | ||||
| 4932. | Meliadus de Leonmoys. Du present Volume sont contenus les nobles faictz darmes du vaillant roy Meliadus. Ensemble plusieurs autres nobles proesses de Chevalerie faictes tant par le roy Artus, Palamedes, &c., &c. Lettres Gothiques, fig., fol., maroq. bleu, Paris, chez Galliot du Pré | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 4933. | Lhystoire tresrecreative, traictant des faictz et gestes du noble et vaillant Chevalier Theseus de Coulongne, par sa proesse Empereur de Rome. Et aussi de sons fils Gadifer, Empereur de Grece. Pareillement des trois enfans de Gadifer, cestassavoir Regnault, Reynier, et Regnesson, &c. Lettres Gothiques, avec fig. 4to., en peau russe. Paris, pour Jehan Bonfons, s.a. | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 4938. | L'Histoire Palladienne, traitant des gestes et genereux Faitz d'armes et d'armour de plusieurs Grandz Princes et Seigneurs, specialement de Palladien filz du roy Milanor d'Angleterre, et de la belle Selenine, &c.; par feu Cl. Colet Champenois, fig., fol., maroquin jaune. Paris, de l'imprimerie d'Estien. Goulleau, 1555 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| 4945. | Hist. du noble Tristan Prince de Leonnois, Chevalier de la table ronde, et d'Yseulte, Princesse d'Yrlande, Royne de Cornouaille; fait Francois par Jean Maugin, dit l'Angevin, fig., 4to., maroq. rouge, Rouen. 1586 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 4953. | L'Hist. du noble et vaillant Chevalier Paris et la belle Vienne, 4to., Rouen | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 4961. | Histoires Prodigieuses, extractes de plusieurs fameux Autheurs, Grecs et Latins, par Pier Boaisteau, Cl. de Tesserant, F. de Belleforest, Rod. Hoyer, &c., fig. 6 tom. en 3, 12mo., maroq. rouge. Par chez la Verfue Cavellat, 1598 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 4964. | Valentine and Orson, cuts, black letter, 4to. London; no date. (Not sold.) | |||
| 7276. | Hollinshed's (Raphe) and William Harrison's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, continued by John Hooker, alias Vowell, and others; black letter, 3 vols. fol., large paper, in Russia, 1586 | 13 | 2 | 6 |
| 7399. | Lynch (Jo.) Seu Gratiani Lucii Hiberni Cambrensis Eversus, seu potius Historica fides, in Rebus Hibernicis, Giraldo Cambrensi abrogata, fol. Impress. An. 1662. Sine Loco aut Nomine Impressoris | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| "Liber inter Historicos Hibernicos rarissimus et inventu difficilimus, quippe cujus pars maxima exemplarium in incendio periit Londinensi. Sub Lucii Gratiani nomine latet verus autor Johannes Lynch (Tuamensis Archidiaconus) qui post Gallvæ deditionem, Exul in Gallia hocce opus patriæ vindex composuit. T.C." |
This catalogue contains 8360 articles. There are printed lists of the prices for which each set of books was sold: but I am afraid that an arrant bibliomaniac, like myself (for thus my friends are cruel enough to call me!) will be content only with a large paper copy of it, with the prices neatly penned in the margin. I conclude that Lysander recommends the volume in this shape to all tasteful collectors.
Lis. But there are surely other large paper——
Alman. What can there possibly be in a large paper copy of a Catalogue of Books which merits the appellation of "nobleness" and "richness?"
Loren. You are a little out of order. Such a question cuts the heart of a bibliographer in twain. Pray let Lysander pursue his narrative.
Lysand. I have no sort of objection to such interruptions. But I think the day is not very far distant when females will begin to have as high a relish for large paper copies of every work as their male rivals. Now let us go on quietly towards the close of my long-winded bibliomaniacal history. And first let us not fail to pay due respect to the cabinet of literary bijoux collected by that renowned bibliomaniac, Mark Cephas Tutet.[395] His collection was distinguished by some very uncommon articles of early date, both of foreign and British typography; and, if you take a peep into Lorenzo's priced copy of the catalogue containing also the purchasers' names, you will find that most notorious modern bibliomaniacs ran away with the choicest prizes. Tutet's catalogue, although drawn up in a meagre and most disadvantageous style, is a great favourite with me; chiefly for the valuable articles which it exhibits.
[395] A Catalogue of the genuine and valuable Collection of printed Books and Manuscripts of the late Mark Cephas Tutet, Esq., to be sold by auction by Mr. Gerard, on Wednesday, the 15th of February, 1786, 8vo. This library evinces the select taste and accurate judgment of its collector. There were only 513 articles, or lots; but these in general were both curious and valuable. I will give a specimen or two of the Tutet Cabinet of books.