Chapter I: Front Matter

_The Publication Committee of the Caxton Club certify that this is one of an edition of two hundred and fifty-two copies printed on hand-made paper, of which two hundred and twenty-eight are for sale, and three copies printed on Japanese vellum. The printing was done from type which has been distributed._

THOMAS BERTHELET

DIEV * ET * MON DROYT *

·M·D*L·II·]

CALF BINDING OF BEMBO’S “HISTORICAE VENETAE. LIBRI XII. VENICE, 1551.” MADE FOR EDWARD VI.

See page 87.]

THOMAS BERTHELET

ROYAL PRINTER AND BOOKBINDER TO HENRY VIII.
KING OF ENGLAND

WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HIS BOOKBINDINGS

BY
CYRIL DAVENPORT, F. S. A.
OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM

AUTHOR OF THE ENGLISH REGALIA, ROYAL ENGLISH BOOKBINDINGS, ENGLISH EMBROIDERED
BOOKBINDINGS, CANTOR LECTURES ON BOOKBINDING, CAMEOS, ETC.

CHICAGO
PUBLISHED BY THE CAXTON CLUB
MDCCCCI

COPYRIGHT BY THE CAXTON CLUB
NINETEEN HUNDRED AND ONE

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. ENGLISH BOOKBINDING UP TO THE TIME OF HENRY VIII. 13

II. DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE CONCERNING BERTHELET AND HIS WORK 29

III. THE BOOKBINDINGS OF THOMAS BERTHELET, WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME TYPICAL EXAMPLES 57

INDEX 99

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE NO. PAGE

I. CALF BINDING OF BEMBO’S “HISTORICAE VENETAE. LIBRI XII. VENICE, 1551.” MADE FOR EDWARD VI. _Frontispiece_

II. TITLE-PAGE OF JOHN GOWER’S CONFESSIO AMANTIS. LONDON, 1532 10

III. BERTHELET’S DEVICE OF LUCRETIA STABBING HERSELF 16

IV. LEGEND WRITTEN ON THE EDGES OF A VOLUME OF SIXTEENTH-CENTURY TRACTS, BOUND IN RED SATIN FOR HENRY VIII. 20

V. CALF BINDING OF “GALTERI DELOENI LIBELLUS DE TRIBUS HIERARCHIIS.” A MS. DEDICATED TO HENRY VIII., AND BOUND FOR HIM 24

VI. CALF BINDING OF A COPY OF THE WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM, PRINTED AT BASLE IN 1530. MADE FOR HENRY VIII. 30

VII. WHITE LEATHER BINDING OF A MS. ENTITLED “LA SCIENCE DE GEOMETRIE” 36

VIII. UPPER COVER OF THE CALF BINDING OF VOL. I. OF A BIBLE PRINTED AT ANTWERP IN 1534. MADE FOR HENRY VIII. AND QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN 42

IX. SATIN BINDING OF A COLLECTION OF SIXTEENTH-CENTURY TRACTS. MADE FOR HENRY VIII. 46

X. CALF BINDING OF “JUL. CLAUD IGUINI ORATIO AD HEN. VIII.” MADE FOR THE KING 52

XI. VELVET BINDING OF A BIBLE PRINTED AT ZURICH IN 1543. MADE FOR HENRY VIII. 58

XII. CALF BINDING OF “TROGUS POMPEIUS. CHOROGRAPHICA, 1546.” MADE FOR PRINCE EDWARD 62

XIII. CALF BINDING OF A MS. COMMENTARY ON THE CAMPAIGN OF THE EMPEROR CHARLES V. AGAINST THE FRENCH IN 1544. MADE FOR HENRY VIII., TO WHOM THE MS. IS ADDRESSED 68

XIV. CALF BINDING OF “LA CYROPEDIE DE XENOPHON. PARIS, 1547.” MADE FOR EDWARD VI. 74

XV. WHITE LEATHER BINDING OF “JOANNES A LASCO. BREVIS DE SACRAMENTIS ECC. CHRISTI TRACTATIO. LONDON, 1552.” 78

XVI. WHITE LEATHER BINDING OF “D. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EP. TAM IN VETUS QUAM IN NOVUM TEST. COMMENTARII. BAS., 1542.” MADE FOR QUEEN MARY 82

XVII. CALF BINDING OF QUEEN MARY’S PRAYER-BOOK. MS. ON VELLUM. BOUND FOR THE QUEEN 84

XVIII. CALF BINDING OF “EPITOME OMNIUM OPERUM DIVI AURELII AUGUSTINI. COL., 1549.” MADE FOR QUEEN MARY 90

To, Gower de confessione Amantis.

Imprinted at London in Flete-strete by Thomas Bethelette Printer to the kingis grace, A N . M.D.XXXII.

CVM PRIVILEGIO.]

TITLE PAGE OF JOHN GOWER’S CONFESSIO AMANTIS. LONDON, 1532.

See page 48.]