THOMAS MORE AND JOHN FISHER.
Although I am afraid "NOTES AND QUERIES" may not be considered as open to contributions purely bibliographical, and admitting I am uncertain whether the following copy of the treatise of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, has been before noted, I am induced to send this extract from Techener's Bulletin du Bibliophile for May 1851. The book is in the library at Douai.
"This Treatise concernynge the fruytful Saynges of David the King and prophete in the seven penytencyall psalmes, devyded in ten sermons, was made and compyled by the ryght reverente fader in god Johan Fyssher, doctour of dyvinyte and bysshop of Rochester, at the exortacion and sterynge of the most excellent pryncesse Margarete, Countesse of Richemount and Derby, and moder to out souverayne Lorde Kynge Hēry the VII."
It is described as a small 4to., printed upon vellum, in Gothic letters, at London, 1508, by Wynkyn de Worde, and contains 146 leaves. On the first leaf it has a portcullis, crowned with the motto "Dieu et mon Droit." On the recto of the last leaf there is—
"Here endeth the exposycyon of the 7 psalmes. Enprynted at London in the fletestrete, at the sygne of ye Sonne, by Wynkyn de Worde. In the yere of oure lorde M.CCCCC.VIII. ye 16 day of ye moneth of Juyn. The XXIII. yere of ye reygne of our souverayne Lorde Kynge Hēry the Seventh."
At the back, there is the sun, the monogram of Wynkyn de Worde—the letters W. C. displayed as usual—and beneath, "Wynkyn de Worde."
At the beginning of the book, "sur une garde en vélin" (a fly-leaf of vellum?), there is written in a very neat hand the following ten verses, the profession of faith of Thomas Morus and of his friend John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester:
"The surest meanes for to attaine
The perfect waye to endlesse blisse
Are happie lief and to remaine