Sales catalogue: Sotheby's

Date:
March 1926
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/20/672
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue: Sotheby's. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/78 page 19
    at CROSSE (HENRY) VERTVES COMMON-WEALTH : OR THE HIGH-WAY TO HONOUR. Wherin is dis- eouered, that although by the disguised craft of this age, vice and hypocrisie may be concealed: yet by Tyme (the triall of truth) it is most plainly reuealed (a-v 4, first leaf blank except for the letter a, title on A 2), FIRST EDITION, two very small worm-holes through some leaves, OTHERWISE A VERY GOOD Copy, modern calf, g. e. 4to. (181mm. by 136mm.) London Printed for lohn Newbery, dwelling in Paules Church yard, at the signe of the Ball. 1603 ** ONLY TWO OTHER PERFECT COPIES OF THIS FIRST EDITION ARE BELIEVED TO BE KNOWN. One of these with a variant title was sold in these rooms on 14 Dec. 1925. In the present copy the title is differently worded (see Sale Catalogue, 14 Dec. 1925, lot 28, facsimile) and the next leaf (signed A 2 instead of 43) dedicated “ To the Right Honourable Robert Lee, Lord Maior of the honorable Citie of London ...” also contains differences of text: apart from these two: leaves the sheets of the two issues are the same. The passage on Q1 recto: “*'These copper-lace gen- tlemen growe riche, purchase lands by adulterous Playes, & not fewe of them vsurers and extortioners ” is conjectured by Halliwell to be a_ reference to Shakespeare. The book contains other probable Shake- spearean allusions. Other authors are referred to on P 1 recto: “ Farre from the decorum of Chauser, Gowers, Lidgate, etc., or our honourable moderne Poets,” and a passage on Q 1 verso refers to contemporary romances: “ For if a view be had of these editions, the Court of Venus, the Pallace of Pleasure, Guy of War- wicke, Libbius and Arthur, Beuis of Hampton, the wise men of Goatam, Scoggins Ieasts, Fortunatus, and those new delights that haue succeeded these, and are now extant,” etc. In sheet Q after a long passage on the sub- ject of “ Playes in the night, very hurtfull,’ the author concludes : “ Many well gouerned Common-wealthg, did not onely note them to bee infamous persons that acted them, excluding them from offices, and giuing testimonie in causes crimminall, but also supplanted and _ beate downe Theaters and Common Play-houses, least any things should be imprinted in the peoples harts against honestie (sig. Q2 verso and Q3 recto). 151 Cruikshank (G.) The Life of Mansie Wauch, Tailor in Dalkeith, first edition with plates by Cruikshank, half calf, 1839-——Essay on the Genius of George Cruikshank. With numerous illustrations of his works. From the Westminster Review, no. LX VI, with additional etchings, cloth, 1840; ete. Svo. , (9) C2
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