Caxton’s ‘Polychronicon’ single leaf from first edition of 1482

A single leaf from the first edition of Ranulf Higden’s ‘Polychronicon’ printed by William Caxton, Westminster [after 2 July] 1482. 268mm x 193mm. Rubricated in red and contemporary marginalia in same ink.

From No.29 in De Ricci ‘Census’: “Jospeh Ames’ Sale (May 1760, Catalogue p.56 n.797) to Dr Gifford; bequeathed by him in 1784 to Baptist College, Bristol.” Subsequently acquired and broken up by Spink, London c.1975 and the present leaf acquired from them in 1975.

This leaf is in especially good condition showing little sign of any browning or spots. A small old crease across the lower right hand corner. Vestiges of an old brown paper mount at the top.

The text starts on page CXVi and reads  And Tullia the kynges doughter herd herof and toke hir char & went to grete her husbond that was made new kyng· and by the waye she ladde hir chare ouer hir fader bodye ¶ Ezechiel the Prophete was to drawen with horses in •aldea by the doyng of hem that were lefte of the lygnages of dan and of gad / and that for he hadde warned hem that they shold not come ayene to Iherusalem ¶Also that yere he sawe sigh•es and visions of the newyng of the temple Iosephus libro decimo capitulo vndecimo