The Ship of Fools Part 10

"Here begynneth a lytell Cronycle, translated & imprinted at the cost & charge of Rycharde Pynson, by the comaundement of the ryght high and mighty prince, Edwarde duke of Buckingham, yerle of Gloucestre, Staffarde, and of Northamton," over a large woodcut. Colophon: "Here endeth, [_&c_.] Imprinted by the sayd _Richarde Pynson_, printer unto the Kinges n.o.ble grace." Date conjectured to be between 1520 and 1530.

Pynson's device, No. 5, at the end. Collation: A--E, and H, in sixes; F and G, and I, in fours; forty-eight leaves.

On the verso of fol. 35, "Here endeth y^e boke of thistoris of thoriet partes copyled by a relygious man frere Hayton frere of Premostre order, sotyme lorde of court & cosyn german to the kyng of Armeny vpon y^e pa.s.sage of the holy lande. By the comaudement of y^e holy fader y^e apostle of Rome Clemet the V. in y^e cite of Potiers which boke I Nicholas Falcon, writ first in French ... I haue traslated it in Latyn for our holy father y^e pope. In the yere of our lorde G.o.d M.CCC.VII.

in y^e moneth of August. Deo gras."

"The travels of Hayton into the Holy Land and Armenia, and his history of Asia, is one of the most valuable of the early accounts of the east.

The present is the only translation into English, and from the circ.u.mstances of its being printed by Pynson and having been (when in Mr Heber's collection) bound with two other works (Mirrour of good Maners and Sall.u.s.t) both translated by Barclay, was probably also translated by him. It is a book of extraordinaiy rarity, no perfect copy that can be traced having previously occured for sale."

(Bibliotheca Grenvilliana, vol. I.)

Heber's copy (the one above mentioned), 40. 9s. 6d.

THE SHIP OF FOOLS.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_Venerandissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino: domino Thome Cornisshe Tenenensis pontifici ac diocesis Badonensis Suffraganio vigilantissimo, sue paternitatis Capella.n.u.s humilimus Alexander Barclay suiipsius recommendacionem c.u.m omni summissione, et reuerentia._

_Tametsi crebris negocijs: varioque impedimentorum genere fatigatus paulo diutius quam volueram a studio reuulsus eram. Attamen obseruandissime presul: Stultiferam cla.s.sem (vt sum tue paternati pollicitus) iam tandem absolui et impressam ad te destinaui. Neque tamen certum laborem pro incerto premio (humano. s.) meis impossuissem humeris: nisi Seruianum illud dictum (longe anteaqam inceperam) admonuisset. Satius esse non incipere quam inceptum minus perfectum relinquere. Completo tamen opere: nec quemquam magis dignum quam tua sit paternitas existimaui cui id dedicarem: tum quia saluberrima tua prudentia, morum grauitas, vite sanct.i.tas doctrineque a.s.siduitas: errantes fatuos mumdanis ab illecebris ad virtutis tramites: difficiles licet: possint reducere: tum vero: quia sacros ad ordines per te sublimatus et promotus, multisque aliis tuis beneficiis ditatus non potui tibi meum obsequium non coartare. Opus igitur tue paternitati dedicaui: meorum primicias laborum qui in lucem eruperunt Atque vt tua consuluerit paternatis: autoris carmina c.u.m meis vulgaribus rithmicis vna alternatim coniunixi: et quantum a vero carminum sensu errauerim, tue autoritatis iudicium erit. Fateor equidem multo plura adiecisse quam ademisse: partim ad vicia que hac nostra in regione abundantius pullulant mordacius carpenda: partimque ob Rithmi difficultatem. Adieci etiam quasdam Biblie aliorumque autorum concordancias in margine notatas quo singula magis lectoribus illucescant: Simul ad inuidorum caninos latratus pacandos: et rabida ora obstruenda: qui vbi quid facinorum: quo ipsi scatent: reprehensum audierint. continuo patulo gutture liuida euomunt dicta, scripta dilacerant. digna s...o...b..is ac thus carmina recensent: sed hi si pergant maledicere: vt stultiuagi comites cla.s.sem insiliant. At tu venerande Presul Discipuli tui exiguum munusculum: hilari fronte accipito, Cla.s.semque nostram (si quid vagum, si quid erronium: si quid denique superfluum emineat: optimam in partem interpretando: ab inuidorum faucibus: tue autoritatis clipeo tucaris. Vale. Ex Impressoria officina Richardi Pynson. iij. Idus Decembris._

-- THIS PRESENT BOKE NAMED THE SHYP OF FOLYS OF THE WORLDE WAS TRANSLATED IN THE COLLEGE OF SAYNT MARY OTERY IN THE COUNTE OF DEUONSHYRE: OUT OF LATEN, FRENCH, AND DOCHE INTO ENGLYSSHE TONGE BY ALEXANDER BARCLAY PRESTE: AND AT THAT TYME CHAPLEN IN THE SAYDE COLLEGE. TRANSLATED THE YERE OF OUR LORDE G.o.d. M.CCCCC.VIII. IMPRENTYD IN THE CYTE OF LONDON IN FLETESTRE AT THE SIGNE OF SAYNT GEORGE. BY RYCHARDE PYNSON TO HYS COSTE AND CHARGE: ENDED THE YERE OF OUR SAUIOUR. M. D. IX. THE. XIIII. DAY OF DECEMBER.

TABULA.

-- THE REGYSTER OR TABLE OF THIS PRESENT BOKE IN ENGLYSSHE.

[VOLUME I.]

-- Alexander Barclay excusynge the rudenes of his translacion, y^e first lefe Barclay y^e translatour to y^e folys.

A prologe in prose shewynge to what intent this Boke was firste made, & who were the first Auctours of it.

Another Prologe: in Balade concernyng the same.

In what place this Boke was translate and to what purpose it was translatyd.

-- Here begynneth the Folys and firste of inprofytable bokys.

-- Of euyll Counsellours Juges & men of lawe.

Of couetyse and prodigalyte.

Of newe disgysynges in apparayle.

-- A lawde of the n.o.bles and grauyte of Kynge Henry the eyght.

Of olde Folys encresynge foly with age.

Of negligent Fathers ayenst their Children.

Of taleberers: & mouers of debate.

Of nat folowers of good counsel.

Of vngoodly maners, and dysordred.

Of the hurtynge of frendshyp.

Of dispysers of holy scripture.

Of folys inprouydent.

Of disordred & venerious loue.

Of them that synne trustynge vpon the mercy of almyghty G.o.d.

Of folys y^t begyn great byldynge without sufficient prouysion.

Of glotons, and droncardes.

Of ryches vnprofytable.

Of folys that wyl serue two lordes both togyther.

Of superflue speche.

Of them that correct other, them self culpable in the same faut.

Of folys that fynde others good, nat restorynge the same to the owner.

-- The sermon or doctryne of wysdom.

Of Folys bostyng them in fortune.

Of the superflue curyosyte of men.

Of great borowers, & slacke payers.

Of vnprofitable vowers & peticions.

Of negligent stodyers.

Of them that folvsshly speke ayenst the workes of G.o.d.

Of lewde Juges of others dedes.