Copy number: V-109(1)

Bound with P‑033; see there for details of binding, decoration, and provenance.

Wanting leaves A3-6 and K8, and the blank leaf L8.

Leaves A1-2 were transferred from vol. 66 of Hearne's collections after p. 174 in 1885 (see unsigned note by Falconer Madan on A1r).

Size of leaf: 240 × 168 mm.

Some early annotations in English hands, also early pen-trials and scribbles. On A2v a note by Thomas Hearne: 'This Fragmt. was printed by Wm. Caxton. It is a Curiosity, as all Caxtons Things are. What he says here of Skelton the Poet Laureat should have been taken notice of by Ant. A Wood in his Athenae Oxon.'

SHELFMARK: S. Seld. d.14(3).

Copy number: V-109(2)

Wanting gathering A and the blank leaf L8.

Binding: Nineteenth-century green morocco. Gilt-edged leaves; purple paper pastedowns; azure silk bookmark; leaves washed.

Size: 267 × 182 × 15 mm.

Size of leaf: 257 × 174 mm.

Provenance: Robert Hedrington (fl. 1577); stamp on B1r: ‘Robert Hedrington his Bookes.1577'. George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834); number ‘12594' on the verso of the front endleaf; for the exchange with Douce of this and a print for one of the 'Caxton advertisements' see A. N. L. Munby, Connoisseurs and Medieval Miniatures 1750-1850 (Oxford, 1972), at p. 49, with the quotation taken from Douce’s notebook, MS. Douce e. 75, fol. 15. Francis Douce (1757-1834); armorial book-plate. Bequeathed in 1834.

SHELFMARK: Douce 162.

Copy number: V-109(3)

Wanting gatherings A, B and L, and leaves E3, 6-7, G8, and sheets H1.8 and K1.8.

Binding: Nineteenth-century blind-tooled calf; bound for the Bodleian Library; the gold stamp of the Library on both covers.

Size: 280 × 202 × 15 mm.

Size of leaf: 270 × 188 mm.

Notes in the hand of John Harte(?): e.g. on D2r ‘To my much | Respacted | frennd and Cuson | Edward hart's | wyfe | Elizabeth'. Notes in the hand of Richard Harte, e.g. on F2v: ‘Lovinge and kind wife Joana Baunting | all health and happinesse atend you | hopynge of your good health . . .'; and on C3v ‘druncknes | druncknes is a tempter to all evill | and god will plague all them that use it still | and will not repent'.

Provenance: Elisabeth Hei[ ]lder (sixteenth century); inscription on C3r: ‘Elisabeth hei[ ]lder'. Edward Hart (sixteenth century); inscription on C1r: ‘Edward hart [ ]oringer [ ]'. John Harte (sixteenth century?); inscription on K4r. Richard Harte (sixteenth/seventeenth century); inscriptions on D2r: ‘Richard hartes booke'; and on F3r: ‘Richard Harte est uerus possessor huius libri'. Thomas Saxby (seventeenth century); ‘Thomas Saxby'. George Saxby (seventeenth century); ‘George Saxby'. Robert Kaye (seventeenth century); inscription on D3r. John Rivers (seventeenth century); inscription on D3r. Date of acquisition unknown.

Former Bodleian shelfmark: Auct. QQ sup. 1.9.

SHELFMARK: Arch G d.7.