Sales catalogue 333: Ellis

Date:
1936
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/33/19
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 333: Ellis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/52 page 28
    119 120 molte historie. In Vinegia, Presso Altobello Salicato, 1582. Sm. 4to, original limp vellum, £12 12s. Under the date 14538 ‘* Giovanni Faustio ”’ is credited with the discovery of the art of printing. Under the date 1488 is an account of Christopher Columbus. The List of the Rulers of Britain includes :—King Lear, his daughter Cordelia, Cymbeline, Arthur. [SAVILE (George), Marquis of Halifax]. Some Cautions offered to the Consideration of Those who are to chuse Members to serve in the ensuing Parliament. By a Person of Honour. London, 1701. Sm. 4to, sewed, 14s. SAVIOLO (Vincentio), Vincentio Saviolo his Practise. In two Bookes. The first intreating of the use of the Rapier and Dagger. The second, of Honor and honorable Quarrels. London, Printed by John Wolfe, 1595. Sm. 4to, printer’s device upon titles, and SIX WOODCUTS OF DUELLING IN PROGRESS, original vellum. EXTREMELY RARE, £68. See illustration. Vincentio Saviolo was born at Padua, where a family bearing that name had long been settled. He travelled abroad, earning a reputation as a fencer. Coming to ‘England, he found employment in the service of the Earl of Essex, to whom this book, which is the earliest treatise in English upon the use of the rapier, is dedicated. It is certain that SHAKESPEARE was familiar with this work. In the second book is an account of a wrestling- match, which was the foundation story of Orlando’s contest with Charles, the Duke Frederick’s wrestler, in ‘* As you Like It.”’ In the same play (v. 4) Touchstone describes the several forms of a lie in much the same terms as Saviolo, who treats in detail of ‘*‘ Lies Certaine,”’ ** Conditional Lies,’ ‘‘ Lies in General,’ ‘* Lies in Par- ticular,” ‘“‘ Foolish Lies.’’? Thus :— Touch. I durst go no further than the ‘“‘ Lie Circum- stantial,” nor he durst not give me the ‘“ Lie Direct.” And so we measured swords and parted. Jaq. Can you nominate in order. now the degrees of the lie ? Touch. © sir, we quarrel in print, by the book. There is little doubt that Shakespeare here directly refers to ‘“‘ the book”? by Saviolo. Indeed, Saviolo was, at the time of the publication of this work, in charge of an academy of fencing in London which was the resort of the young nobles of the day; a place quite sufficiently well known to have attracted Shakespeare’s attention.
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