Vox piscis: or, The book-fish : contayning three treatises which were found in the belly of a cod-fish in Cambridge Market, on Midsummer Eue last, anno Domini 1626.
1627
Items
Linked e-resources
Linked Resource
Selected image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library STC 11395 copy 1
Details
Title
Vox piscis: or, The book-fish : contayning three treatises which were found in the belly of a cod-fish in Cambridge Market, on Midsummer Eue last, anno Domini 1626.
Uniform title
Fountayne or well of lyfe.
Of the preparation to the Crosse, and to deathe.
Of the preparation to the Crosse, and to deathe.
Created/published
London : Printed [by Humphrey Lownes, John Beale, and Augustine Mathewes] for Iames Boler and Robert Milbourne, M.DC.XXVII. [1627]
Description
[4], 43, [1]; 237 [i.e. 239], [13]; [18], 47, [9], 127, [3]; [8], 180, [4] p. : ill. ; (12mo)
Associated name
Frith, John, 1503-1533, author.
Beale, John, -1643, printer.
Tracy, Richard, -1569.
Goad, Thomas, 1576-1638.
Harmsworth, R. Leicester (Robert Leicester), Sir, 1870-1937, former owner.
Frith, John, 1503-1533. Letter wryten unto the faythful folowers of Christes Gospell.
Beale, John, -1643, printer.
Tracy, Richard, -1569.
Goad, Thomas, 1576-1638.
Harmsworth, R. Leicester (Robert Leicester), Sir, 1870-1937, former owner.
Frith, John, 1503-1533. Letter wryten unto the faythful folowers of Christes Gospell.
Note
Attributed as a whole to John Frith in part 1, which is sometimes attributed to Thomas Goad. Part 2, "The preparation to the Crosse and to death", is a reprint of "Of the preparation to the Crosse, and to deathe", 1540 (STC 11393), translated by and sometimes attributed to Richard Tracy as well as to Frith. Part 3, "A mirrour, or, glasse to know thy selfe" and "A briefe instruction, to teach a person willingly to die, and not to feare death", is a reprint of Frith's "A letter wryten unto the faythful folowers of Christes Gospell" (1548-49? STC 11385.5). Part 4, "The treasure of knowledge", is a revision of the anonymous "The fountayne or well of lyfe" (STC 11211), not by Frith.
Parts 2-4 each have separate dated title page (parts 3,4 dated 1626), pagination, and register; that to part 2 identifies John Beale as the printer. Within part 3, "A briefe instruction" also has separate dated title page and pagination, but the register is continuous.
Part 4 formerly also STC 24198.
"Lownes pr[inted]. pts. 1, 3 .. Mathewes pt. 4"--STC.
Part 2, p. 239 misnumbered 237.
P. 178-180 are blank except for marginal rules and pagination; the two last leaves are blank as reported by Folger.
Signatures: [superscript pi]A-B¹² A-K¹² L⁶, ²A-H¹² I⁶, ³A-H¹².
Part 4 identified as STC 24198 on UMI microfilm reel 1085.
Stationers' register: Entered 13 September 1626.
Curatorial files available for copies 1 and 3.
Parts 2-4 each have separate dated title page (parts 3,4 dated 1626), pagination, and register; that to part 2 identifies John Beale as the printer. Within part 3, "A briefe instruction" also has separate dated title page and pagination, but the register is continuous.
Part 4 formerly also STC 24198.
"Lownes pr[inted]. pts. 1, 3 .. Mathewes pt. 4"--STC.
Part 2, p. 239 misnumbered 237.
P. 178-180 are blank except for marginal rules and pagination; the two last leaves are blank as reported by Folger.
Signatures: [superscript pi]A-B¹² A-K¹² L⁶, ²A-H¹² I⁶, ³A-H¹².
Part 4 identified as STC 24198 on UMI microfilm reel 1085.
Stationers' register: Entered 13 September 1626.
Curatorial files available for copies 1 and 3.
ESTC staff note
Signatures from DFo.
Ill. includes frontis.
Ill. includes frontis.
Exhibited
Copy 1. Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2010. Lost at Sea.
Cited/described in
Pollard, A.W. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, & Ireland and of English books printed abroad, 1475-1640 (2nd ed.) (STC), 11395
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S102646
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S102646
Linked resources
Selected image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library STC 11395 copy 1
Genre/form
Annotations.
Place of creation/publication
Great Britain -- England -- London.
Item Details
Call number
STC 11395 copy 1
Folger-specific note
143103. Brown sheep binding, with red leather label on spine lettered in gilt: 'The Book-Fish'. Imperfect: wanting sigs. F5-8 of part 3, 'A brief instruction'
Call number
STC 11395 copy 2
Folger-specific note
HH91/17a. Black calf binding, with borders, center and corner ornaments in gilt; visible holes for ties; rebacked. Imperfect: wanting part 1 (preface), sig. A1 (ill. of opened fish) of part 2, and final 2 blank leaves; sigs. [superscript pi]A1,2 (frontis. ill. of unopened fish and general t.p.) supplied in photostat from another copy; copy stained and wormed. Provenance: inscriptions on back fly-leaf: '19 Sotheby's 14-16, 1927' and pencilled Quaritch note dated 17/2/27; Harmsworth copy
Call number
STC 11395 copy 3
Folger-specific note
HH91/17. Manuscript notes: bibliographical notes on slip tipped in at front and on front free endpaper, the latter headed by: 'W. D. Macray 22. Feb. 1855'. Imperfect: Parts 1 and 2 only, wanting sigs. [superscript pi]A1, and ¹L6 (blank at end of part 2: 'Preparation'); [superscript pi]A1 (frontis. ill. of unopened fish) replaced by sig. ¹A1 (ill. of opened fish) of pt.2; sig. [superscript pi]A2 (t.p.) mounted; copy badly stained and frayed. Provenance: pasted inside front cover is clipping identified as from the Scottish Ecclesiastical Guardian, 31 Aug. 1901, which relates the story of another cod with interesting innards, this one had swallowed a copy of the burial service for a funeral in 1884; W.D. Macray - Harmsworth copy.
Call number
STC 11395 copy 4
Folger-specific note
11/25/46. Disbound, with all after sig. C12 almost detached. Imperfect: part 3 ('Mirrour' and 'Instruction') only; copy stained and wormed