Two Leaves from The Golden Legend
(Westminster): (Wynkyn de Worde), (1527). Fine. Leaf. Item #20541
Two leaves, the first on watermarked laid paper, 7½ by 11 inches printed in black. A small rubber stamped date (August 2, 1928) is impressed in the lower left corner margin of the first leaf, some glue staining at the binding edge else this is a fine copy of Wynkyn de Worde's craftsmanship.
Folios CXXIVI (i.e., CXXVI) and CXXVII, which contain the ending of the life of St. Aldheme, Abbot of Malmesbury, and the beginning of the life of St. Austin (Augustine of Canterbury).
'The Golden Legend' (Legenda Aurea), written in the 13th century by the Dominican Jacobus de Voraigne, was probably the third best-selling book in mediaeval Christendom, after the Bible and the Imitation of Christ. It was first rendered into English and printed by William Caxton in 1483. This leaf was printed by his successor Wynkyn de Worde and is from de Worde's third printing, preceded by his printings of 1493 and 1498, and the fifth printing overall if you count the Notary printing of 1503.
The text is in English printed in Batarde type in double column, 46 lines to the page and a headline, and with a woodcut 'S' to begin the Life of St. Austin.
Price: $450.00