1573 Tyndale, Frith and Barnes. The Bristol Baptist College Copy

Description

The Whole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy Martyrs
Andrew Gifford’s Copy with his “Of the Museum” Bookplate
The Bristol Baptist College Copy

[TYNDALE, William.] [FRITH, John.] [BARNES, Robert.] The Whole/ workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn/ Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three/ worthy Martyrs, and principall/ teachers of this Churche of England,/ collected and compiled in one Tome to-/ gither, beyng before scattered, & now in/ Print here exhibited to the Church./ To the prayse of God, and/ profite of all good Chri-/ stian Readers. London: Printed by Iohn Daye, and are to be sold at his shop under Aldersgate, 1573. (colophon, 1572)

First edition. Small folio signed in fours and sixes. Black letter; some roman and italic. Foxe’s cut of Tyndale’s martyrdom at [A4]. Collation: engraved title-page [A.i.], A4, B3, C-Y4, Aa-Yy6, AA-EE6, FF-GG4 (GG.ii. is finis of Tyndale, dated 1572, [GG3] is engraved fly-title to the works of Frith); HH6, II4 – three text leaves missing ([II5, 6, and KK.i.) pagination jumps 20-27 (i.e., lacking 21-26)– KK.ii-[6] LL-XX6, YY4 (finis of Frith at [YY4] recto; fly-title to Barnes [*AAa.i*] with half-page woodcut of the 1540 martyrdom of Barnes, Thomas Garret, and William Hierome (Vicar of Stepney) on verso (after Foxe); lacks AAa.i., AAa.ii. – [6], BBb-QQq6, RRr4, colophon [RRr4]recto and woodcut (after Foxe) on verso: “A lively picture describyng the authoritie and substance of God’s most blessed word, weyghing agaynst Popish traditions.”

Tyndale’s work dominates the publication and the Tyndale section includes: “A Preface to the Chistian Reader” by John Foxe; “The Life of Wylliam Tyndall” by John Foxe; (by Tyndale:) “A protestation of the state of soules departed”; Tyndale’s prefaces or prologues to the Books of Moses, the Gospels, the Epistles (including the seminal “Prologue to Romans”; “A Prologue shewing the use of Scripture”; “Parable of the Wicked Mammon”; “Obedience of a Christian Man”; “Practice of Popish Prelates”; “Answer to Syr Thomas More’s dialogues”; “Pathway into Holy Scripture”; “A Fruitfull treatise upon signes & Sacraments”; “Two Notable Letters to John Frith;” etc.

The works of John Frith include: “His Booke of Purgatory”; “An Answer to Rastal’s Dialogue”; “An answer to Syr Thomas More”; “An answer to Fisher”; “A Bulwark against Rastall”; “A Mirrour of Glasse”; “Treatise upon Baptisme”; “An antithesis between Christ and the Pope”; “A book of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ”; etc.

The works of Barnes include: “His Life and Martyrdom”; “Fayth Onely justifieth before God”; “What the keyes of the Church bee, and to whom they were geeuen”; “Free will of man…”; “Of the Original of the Masse…”; etc.

Obviously, a hugely important publication in early Elizabethan society.

17th-Century full calf, paneled in blind and gilt, gilt central lozenge to boards with (unidentified) initials M and B. Old red morocco lettering piece. Paper shelfmarks (V) and (d16) in top and bottom compartments; GIFFORD in gilt at foot of spine. Joint repairs; some splitting but still sound. Remains of perished clasps. Worn at extremities. Very few minor internal flaws: occasional marginal tears; occasional ink notations. [RRr4] with short tear into woodcut; QQq.i. with closed tear into text about 3”. Crisp, clean, luxuriously margined.

An exceptionally appealing Provenance: From the Library of Andrew Gifford – Minister of the Baptist Chapel in Eagle Street, London, and a co-founder and librarian of the British Museum – with his armorial bookplate reading “of the museum” and his shelf numbers; and the Bristol Baptist College Library with their bookplate and shelf numbers.

Andrew Gifford’s will stipulated the donation of his extensive personal library to the Society of Baptists of Bristol (i.e., Bristol Baptist College).

STC 24436.

• Contact Us to order or inquire about this item.
• We accept credit cards and bank transfers as detailed here.