The Ship of Fools Part 8

II.) is inserted between the Latin and English t.i.tles. This edition omits the ballad to the Virgin at the end. The English is in black letter, and the Latin in Roman, in the same order as in the preceding edition. On the recto of leaf 259: Thus endeth the Ship of Fooles, translated ... by Alexander Barclay Priest, at that time Chaplen in the Colledge of S. Mary Otery in the Countie of Deuon. Anno Domini 1508. On the back "Excusatio Iacobi Locher Philomusi," in Sapphic verse. On the next page five stanzas by Barclay "excusing the rudenes of his Translation." Lastly, an Index in Latin, and then in English. Then, follow the "diuers other workes," the Mirrour of good maners, and the Egloges. Colophon: Imprinted at London in Paules Church-yarde by Iohn Cawood Printer to the Queenes Maiestie. c.u.m Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.

The woodcuts, including the one on the t.i.tle-page, number 117. They are the same as those of Pynson's edition, but show occasional traces of the blocks having been chipped in the course of their preservation in a printer's office for 60 years or so. The borders only differ, being of a uniform type, while those of the previous edition are woodcuts of several patterns.

The numbering is a little irregular; the preliminary leaves (12) are unnumbered. The folios are numbered in figures on the left hand page, 'folio' being prefixed to the first six, 16 is repeated for 17, 13 stands for 31, [in one of the Adv. Lib. copies the latter irregularity is found, though not the former; in the other, 17 and 31 are numbered correctly], 96 is repeated for 99, 188 for 191, 100 for 200, and 205 for 201. The last number is 259, and there are three extra leaves, thus making 274 for the Ship. The supplementary works are not numbered. The signatures are as follows: _The Ship_, -- six leaves; ---- six leaves; A to U u, in sixes; X x, four leaves; _Mirrour of good manners_, A--G, in sixes; _Egloges_, A to D, in sixes; in all 680 pp.

This book was licensed to Cawood in 1567-8, and is said to be the only book he had license for. It is now very rare.

Prices: Digby, 1680, 4s. 4d. Bernard, 1698, 1s. 10d. Gulston, 1783, 1, 16s. White Knights, 8, 12s. Roxburghe, 9, 19s. 6d. Fonthill, 13, 13s. Bib. Anglo-Poet, 12, 12s. Heber, 8, 12s. Sotheby's, 1873, 48, 10s.

A complete bibliography of the various editions and versions of the Ship of Fools will be found in Zarocke's edition of the original, or in Graesse's Tresor de livres rares et precieux. A notice is subjoined of the two editions of the English prose translation, and of the two other publications bearing the t.i.tle.

The abridged prose translation, by Henry Watson, from the French prose version of Jehan Droyn, appeared from the press of De Worde in the same year in which Barclay's fuller poetical version was issued. In both text and ill.u.s.trations it is a much inferior production to the latter.

As the existence of the first edition has been, and still is, denied, it being frequently confounded with Barclay's book, we transcribe the following description of the only known copy from Van Praet's "Catalogue des livres imprimes sur velin de la Bibliotheque du Roi."

The Shyppe of Fooles, translated out of frenche, by Henry Watson. London, Wynkyn de Worde, 1509, pet.i.t in--4.

Edition en lettres de forme, sans chiffres ni reclames, avec signatures, figures et initiales en bois; a longues lignes, au nombre de 32 sur les pages entieres; cont. 169 f.; les 7 premiers renferment 1. le t.i.tre suivant, grave audessus d'une figure qui represente le navire des fous:

-- The shyppe of fooles.

2. Le prologue du traducteur; 3. la preface; 4. la table des chapitres.

Au recto du dernier f. est cette souscription:

-- Thus endeth the shyppe of fooles of this worde. Enprynted at London in Flete strete by Wynk[=y] de worde prynter vnto the excellent pryncesse Marguerete, Countesse of Rychemonde and Derbye, and grandame vnto our moost naturall souereyne lorde kynge Henry [=y] viii. The yere of our lorde. M.CCCCC. ix. -- The fyrste yere of the reygne of our fouerayne lorde kynge Henry the viii. The. vi. daye of Julii. On apercoit au verso le monogramme et la marque de William Caxton, au bas desquels on lit ces mots: Wynken de Worde."

This beautiful copy upon vellum is the only example of this edition known.

The grete Shyppe of Fooles of this worlde. W[=y]kyn de Worde. 1517. Quarto.

This is the second edition of Watson's translation. Colophon: "Thus endeth the shyppe of fooles of this worlde. Jmprynted at Londod in flete strete by W[=y]kyn de Worde. ye yere of our lorde M.CCCCC. & xvii.

-- The nynthe yere of y^e reygne of our souerayne lorde kynge Henry y^e VIII. The xx. daye of June." It contains G G 6, fours and eights alternately (the signatures ending on G G iij.), besides 6 leaves, with the prologue, prolude and table, before signature A.

Extremely rare. Roxburghe, 64.

The Ship of Fools Fully Fraught and Richly Laden with a.s.ses, Fools, Jack-daws, Ninnihammers, c.o.xcombs, Slenderwits, Shallowbrains, Paper-Skuls, Simpletons, Nick.u.mp.o.o.ps, Wiseakers, Dunces, and Blockheads, Declaring their several Natures, Manners and Const.i.tutions; the occasion why this Ship was built, with the places of their intended Voyage, and a list of the Officers that bear Command therein.

If for this Voyage any have a mind, They with Jack Adams may acceptance find, Who will strain hard ere they shall stay behind.

Licensed, Roger L'Estrange.

[A large woodcut of the Ship.]

London, Printed by J. W. for J. Clark, at the Bible and Harp in West-Smithfield. n. d. [Circa 1650.] 4to. 4 leaves.

"This book, or rather tract, has nothing in common with Barclay's Ship of Fools, except the general idea. It is entirely in prose. My copy has nothing to show to whom it formerly belonged."--(Letter of H. Huth, Esq.) The last sentence was elicited by the inquiry whether Mr Huth's copy were the one formerly belonging to Mr Heber.--See _Bibliotheca Heberiana_, Part IV., No. 752.

Stultifera Navis ... The modern Ship of fools. Lond. 1807, 80. Pp. xxiv., 295.

A wretched production in verse, in imitation of Barclay's Ship of Fools, published anonymously by W. H. Ireland, the Shakesperian forger.

III. THE EGLOGES OF ALEXADER BARCLAY, PREST.--The first three, without printer's name or device. No date. Quarto. Black letter.

"Here begynneth the Egloges of Alexader Barclay, prest, wherof the fyrst thre conteyneth the myseryes of courters and courtes of all prynces in generall, the matter wherof was translated into Englyshe by the sayd Alexander in fourme of Dialogues, out of a boke named in latyn Miserie Curialiu, compyled by Eneas Siluius, Poete and oratour, whiche after was Pope of Rome, & named Pius." This t.i.tle is over a cut of two shepherds, Coridon and Cornix, the interlocutors in these three eclogues. On the back is a cut of David and Bathsheba. At the end of the third egloge: "Thus endyth the thyrde and last egloge of the mysery of court and courters, composed by Alexander Barclay, preste, in his youthe." A cut of the two shepherds and a courtier fills up the page.

Without date, printer's name, or device. Contains P 6, in fours, the last leaf blank.

III.a. THE FOURTHE EGLOGE OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY.--Pynson. No date. Quarto.

Black letter.

It is ent.i.tled, "The Boke of Codrus and Mynaclus," over the cut of a priest, with a shaven crown, writing at a plutus. It concludes with "The discrypcion of the towre of Vertue & Honour, into whiche the n.o.ble Hawarde contended to entre, by worthy acts of chiualry," related by Menalcas, in stanzas of eight verses. At the end, "Thus endeth the fourthe Eglogge of Alexandre Barcley, coteyning the maner of the riche men anenst poets and other clerkes. Emprinted by Richarde Pynson priter to the kynges n.o.ble grace." On the last leaf is his device, No. V.

Contains 22 leaves, with cuts.

III.b. THE FYFTE EGLOGE OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY. --Wynkyn de Worde. No date.

Quarto. Black letter.

"The fyfte Eglog of Alexandre Barclay of the Cytezen and vplondyshman."

This t.i.tle is over a large woodcut of a priest, sitting in his study.

Beneath, "Here after foloweth the Prologe." On the verso of A ii. are two cuts of two shepherds, whole lengths, with this head-t.i.tle, "Interlocutoures be Amyntas and Faustus." There are no other cuts.

Colophon: "Here endeth the v. Eglog of Alexandre Barclay of the Cytezyn and vplondysshman. Imprynted at London in flete strete, at the sygne of [the] Sonne, by Wynkyn de worde." Beneath, device No. v. Contains A 8, B 4, C 6; 18 leaves. There is a copy in the British Museum.

With the first four Eclogues as above, Woodhouse, 1803, (Herbert's copy), 25.; resold, Dent, 1827, 36.; resold, Heber, 1834, 24. 10s.

At Heber's sale this unique set, containing the only known copy of the first edition of the first four Eclogues, was bought by Thorpe; further I have not been able to trace it.

III.c. THE EGLOGES.--John Herforde. No date. Quarto.

"Here begynneth the Egloges of Alex. Barclay, Priest, whereof the first three conteineth the Miseries of Courters and Courtes." "Probably a reprint of Pynson's impression," Dibdin. Contains only Eclogues I.-III.

Herbert conjectures the date to be 1548; Corser, 1546; Hazlitt, 1545.

III.d. THE EGLOGES.--Humfrey Powell. No date. Quarto. Black letter.

"Here begynneth the Egloges of Alexander Barclay, priest, whereof the first thre conteineth the miseries of courters and courtes, of all Princes in general ... In the whiche the interloquutors be, Cornix, and Coridon." Concludes: "Thus endeth the thyrde and last Eglogue of the Misery of Courte and Courters, Composed by Alexander Barclay preest, in his youth. Imprinted at London by Humfrey Powell." Contains only Eclogues I.-III. Collation: t.i.tle, A 1; sig. A to P2, in fours; 58 leaves not numbered.

This is an edition of extreme rarity. It is very well printed, and the t.i.tle is surrounded with a woodcut border with ornamented pillars at the sides. Herbert conjectures the date to be 1549, the Bib.

Anglo-Poetica, Lowndes, and Corser, 1548. There is a copy in the Cambridge University Library, and another in the possession of David Laing, Esq.

Prices: Inglis, 6. 2s. 6d.; Bright, 1845. 10. 10s.; Bib.

Anglo-Poetica, 15.

III.e. CERTAYNE EGLOGES OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY PRIEST.--Cawood. 1570. Folio.

Black letter.

Appended to Cawood's edition of the Ship of Fools. No t.i.tle-page, cuts, or pagination. The above heading on A i.

Colophon: Thus endeth the fifth and last Egloge of Alexander Barclay, of the Citizen and the man of the countrey. Imprinted at London in Paules Church-yarde by Iohn Cawood, Printer to the Queenes Maiestie.

c.u.m Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.