[POLYCRONICON]

A very substantial fragment, being 220 (of 398) leaves, of only the second edition of Higden's great universal chronicle in English, printed by William Caxton's successor at Westminster, Wynkyn de Worde. Duffs type 4 throughout, woodcut initials, printed music to leaf n5 recto, Higden's discussion of the work of Pythagoras provides the occasion for the printing of a musical example in the present edition, making this also the first English book to contain printed music. Chancery folio (256 x 178 mm.), in later full red calf, the panelled spine lettered in gilt between tall raised bands, bookplate of the family of Edward Norris. 220 (of 398) leaves, wanting those before fl, leaves gl and g8, and all after K1. A rare survival and substantial fragment, the leaves of gatherings f and g mounted at inner margin, with some additional small repairs, affecting small portions of text on 10 leaves, numerous other leaves (gatherings A1-1-18) neatly mounted at inner edges, a few minor tears and repairs elsewhere, light dampstaining and thumbing, heaviest to early leaves, the word 'Pope' and its contractions deleted throughout in sixteenth-century manuscript. Numerous early annotations, including the inscription (in two places) of Robert Crystyn.

Edizione: an important edition of the polycronicon, the most influential universal chronicle distributed in britain during the 14th and 15th centuries and the first english book to contain printed music. this is the second edition of the polycronicon in english and was printed by wynkyn de worde. caxton had died in 1491, at which time his workshop, types and printer's device were taken over by his foreman de worde. the polycronicon, first printed by caxton in 1482, was composed by the fourteenth-century higden, a benedictine monk of st werberg's, chester, and was widely circulated in manuscript. its longevity was secured by john trevisa, who translated it into english in 1387, and it is trevisa's text which is reproduced in caxton and de worde's editions. the work draws on over 40 sources, and synthesizes a continuous diachronic and multicultural history, beginning with the biblical account of the creation and moving through the history of the semitic, hellenic, roman, and medieval-european cultures. it served as a model for innumerable later histories, both universal and localized. <br> higden's polycronicon enjoyed considerable popularity in the 15th century. it was the standard work on general history, and more than a hundred manuscripts of it are known to exist. <br><br>hain 8660; goff h-268; stc 13439; r. steele,<br>