THE TRAGEDIES, Gathered by Jhon Bochas, of All Such Princes as Fell From Theyr Estates Throughe the Mutability of Fortune Since the Creation of Adam, Until His Time: Wherein May Be Seen What Vices Bring Menne to Destruction, wyth Notable Warninges Howe the Like May Be Avoyded. Translated into Englysh by John Lidgate, Monke of Burye.

AN EXTREMELY RARE AND EARLY PRINTING of Boccaccio's Tragedies into English, the third or fourth issuance only. Title-page and leaf Gg4 (bound after title) with architectural woodcut borders(McKerrow 76a) and with woodcuts on leaf A4 illustrating events in the Garden of Eden, woodcut initials throughout. Folio [299 x 203 mm], in very fine and handsome nineteenth-century red hard-grain morocco by F.P. Hathaway of Boston, the boards elaborately framed in extensive gilt, the upper board with central gilt crest of John W. De Kay, the spine beautifully lettered and decorated with central tools in gilt in compartments between gilt ruled raised bands, elaborate gilt tooled board edges and turn-ins, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. De Kay's armorial bookplates on front pastedown and verso of front free endpaper. (10], ctxiii, xxvii [i.e., xxxix] leaves. A very handsome and well preserved copy of this rare printing. The binding very handsome indeed, with only the most minimal wear to extremities, joints expertly and near-invisibly restored. The title-page and Gg3 laid down and reattached, the title with small ink notations at top, not affecting text or woodcut border. The inner margin of leaf Gg4 (which is bound in after the title-page in this copy, and *2 repaired, with some loss to woodcut border and a few words of text. Other minor paper repairs to several leaves, in a few cases affecting a few letters of text, evidence of old damp throughout last half of book which is fairly inoffensive.