[1] A still more elaborate edition was published by the Grolier Club in 1889. This was edited by Professor A. F. West, and printed in three volumes small quarto. It was issued in a small edition, and a sight of it is therefore difficult to obtain.

[2] From Ernest C. Thomas’s translation, 1888.

[3] Dibdin’s Bibliomania, Part V.

[4] The versions given in Noble’s Continuation of Granger are inferior to the above, which were taken from an old MS. by the Rev. Cecil Moore, and are believed by him to be the originals. See “Bibliographer,” vol. vi. p. 92.

[5] William Oldys’s “Choice Notes,” 1862, p. 38.

[6] Ibid. p. 92.

[7] Bliss’s ReliquiÆ HearnianÆ, 1869, vol. i. pp. 206, 207.

[8] “Letters from the Bodleian,” vol. i. p. 214.

[9] Dibdin’s “Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 356 (note).

[10] Bibliomania, Part V.

[11] An annotated translation of Auctio Davisiana was published in “Book-Lore,” vol. iii. p. 166; vol. iv. p. 1. The translator possesses a copy formerly belonging to Bishop Wordsworth of Lincoln, in which is written, in a contemporary hand, ex dono BibliopolÆ Ric Davis.

[12] ReliquiÆ HearnianÆ, 1869, vol. ii. p. 172.

[13] Leader Scott’s “Renaissance of Art in Italy,” 1883, p. 193.

[14] “Letters from the Bodleian,” vol. i. p. 279 (note).

[15] Putnam’s “Books and their Makers,” 1897, vol. i. p. 159.

[16] Rogers’s “Agriculture and Prices,” vol. iv. pp. 509-604.

[17] “Manners and Household Expenses” (Roxburghe Club).

[18] “Books in Manuscript,” 1893, p. 43.

[19] Paston Letters, ed. Gairdner, 1874, vol. ii. p. 336.

[20] “Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucester ArchÆological Society,” vol. xv., 1891, pp. 257 and 260, quoted “Illuminated Manuscripts,” p. 223.

[21] Paston Letters, ed. Gairdner, 1874, vol. ii. pp. 334-35.

[22] Leader Scott’s “Renaissance of Art in Italy,” 1883, p. 194.

[23] Maitland’s “Dark Ages,” 1844, p. 272.

[24] Mr. Madan has given in Appendix A to his most useful and interesting work on “Books in Manuscript,” 1893, a list of public libraries which contain more than 4000 MSS. The largest collections are as follows:—British Museum, 52,000, and 162,000 charters; Bodleian Library, 31,000; Royal Library, Vienna, 20,000; Brussels, 30,000; BibliothÈque Nationale, Paris, 80,000; Royal Library, Berlin, 16,000; Munich, 26,000; the Vatican, Rome, 23,600; Biblioteca Nazionale, Florence, 15,000; Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, 25,000.

[25] Dr. Burney gave £620 for it at Towneley’s sale, 1815.

[26] These particulars are obtained from the official reports.

[27] J. H. Middleton, “Illuminated MSS.,” 1892, pp. 263-64.

[28] ArchÆologia, xxv. 104.

[29] “Life and Typography of William Caxton,” vol. ii. p. lix.

[30] ArchÆologia, xlvi. 228, 229.

[31] xxxvi. 284-310.

[32] Censura Literaria, iii. 370.

[33] The late Mr. Cornelius Walford contributed to the Bibliographer some articles on Book Patents and Printing Patents. See vol. v. pp. 125, 156; vol. vi. pp. 129, 171.

[34] ArchÆologia, vol. xxv. pp. 100-112.

[35] Arber’s “Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers.”

[36] Gomme’s Gentleman’s Magazine Library, “Literary Curiosities,” 1888, p. 79.

[37] This was quite true when written a few months ago, but on the 10th February 1898 a copy with the original wrappers was sold at Sotheby’s salerooms for £21. It was bought by Mr. Quaritch, the original publisher.

[38] ReliquiÆ HearnianÆ, vol. ii. (1869), p. 243.

[39] “Sir Kenelm Digby et les anciens rapports des BibliothÈques franÇaises avec la Bretagne.” Quoted by Mr. Pollard, Bibliographica, vol. i. p. 383.

[40] Bibliomania (The Drawing Room).

[41] ReliquiÆ HearnianÆ, 1869, vol. i. p. 310.

[42] Peter Langtoft’s “Chronicle,” vol. i. p. 13.

[43] Bibliographica, vol. ii. p. 126.

[44] Millington’s preface to catalogue of libraries of Lawson, Fawkes, Stockden, and Brooks, 30th May 1681.

[45] Bibliographica, vol. ii. p. 115.

[46] “Memoir of William Oldys,” 1862, p. 101.

[47] ReliquiÆ HearnianÆ, 1869, vol. iii. p. 159.

[48] Ibid., p. 160.

[49] Nichols’s “Literary Anecdotes,” vol. v. p. 490.

[50] Wanley’s “Diary,” Lansdowne MS., 808, quoted Nichols’s “Literary Anecdotes,” vol. i. pp. 91-92.

[51] Ibid., vol. ii. p. 106.

[52] Dibdin’s “Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 327 (note).

[53] Dibdin’s “Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 369 (note).

[54] F. Norgate, in The Library, vol. iii. p. 329.

[55] Dibdin’s “Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 206 (note).

[56] Gomecius (Gomez) de rebus gestis a Francisco Ximinis Cisnerio, 1569, quoted in Dibdin’s “Reminiscences,” vol. i. p. 211.

[57] Mr. Blades has given full particulars of all the sales in his “Life and Typography of William Caxton” (1863); but there have been many sales since the publication of his great work, and particulars of these are given chiefly from two valuable articles, entitled Caxtoniana, by Mr. Frederic Norgate, which were published in The Library, Nos. 8 and 9 (August and September 1889). That accurate bibliographer has kindly allowed the author to see and use his manuscript corrections and additions to these articles.

[58] Steevens’s remarks, given in another page of Dibdin’s “Library Companion,” are worth quoting here, more particularly as that Shakesperian commentator gives his opinion of what was a high price for the first folio: “I have repeatedly met with thin flakes of pie-crust between the leaves of our author. These unctuous fragments, remaining long in close confinement, communicated their grease to several pages deep on each side of them.... Most of the first folios now extant are known to have belonged to ancient families resident in the country. Since our breakfasts have become less gross, our favourite authors have escaped with fewer injuries.... I claim the merit of being the first commentator on Shakespeare who strove with becoming seriousness to account for the present stains that disgrace the earliest folio edition of his plays, which is now become the most expensive single book in our language; for what other English volume without plates, and printed since the year 1600, is known to have sold, more than once, for £35, 14s.?”

[59] “Talk about Autographs,” by George Birkbeck Hill, London, 1896, p. 69.

[60] “Memoir of William Oldys,” 1862, p. 104.

[61] Nichols’s “Literary Anecdotes,” vol. i. p. 593.

[62] Lang’s “Books and Bookmen,” p. 13.