The pen's excellencie, or, The secretaries delighte : wherein as well the abuses wh. are offered unto [the] worthines of ye pen by unworthie pen men, are trulie discovered: as ye dignity of ye art itselfe by ye antiquitie, excellencie & diversitie thereof is breifly demonstrated together with an insertion of sondrie peeces, or examples, of all ye vsuall hands of England: as also an addition of certaine methodicall observations for writing, making of the pen, holding the pen, &c. Written by Martin Billingsley mr in ye art of writing [sic] The Greeke & Hebrewe with other peeces never yet extant are hereunto by the authour exactlie added.
1618
Items
Details
Title
The pen's excellencie, or, The secretaries delighte : wherein as well the abuses wh. are offered unto [the] worthines of ye pen by unworthie pen men, are trulie discovered: as ye dignity of ye art itselfe by ye antiquitie, excellencie & diversitie thereof is breifly demonstrated together with an insertion of sondrie peeces, or examples, of all ye vsuall hands of England: as also an addition of certaine methodicall observations for writing, making of the pen, holding the pen, &c. Written by Martin Billingsley mr in ye art of writing [sic] The Greeke & Hebrewe with other peeces never yet extant are hereunto by the authour exactlie added.
Created/published
[London] : Are to be solde by Io: Sudbury & George Humble in Popeshead alley, [1618?]
Description
[24] p., [1], 28 leaves of plates : port. ; obl. (4to)
Associated name
Billingsley, Martin, 1591- author.
Holle, H.
Vincent, Augustine, approximately 1584-1626, former owner.
Holle, H.
Vincent, Augustine, approximately 1584-1626, former owner.
Note
The titlepage is engraved and is the the first numbered plate.
Signatures: B-D⁴; D4 blank.
'The preface to the reader' signed and dated: M.B. Decemb. 22. 1618.
'The pens excellencie' begins on sig. B3r, preceded by a preface signed and dated "M.B. Decemb. 22. 1618". Sig. B2r line 3 ends with "past" and the "3" of sig. "D3" is under and to the right of "t" of "the" (STC).
Marginal notes.
Unnumbered plate = port..
Last leaf is blank.
Signatures: B-D⁴; D4 blank.
'The preface to the reader' signed and dated: M.B. Decemb. 22. 1618.
'The pens excellencie' begins on sig. B3r, preceded by a preface signed and dated "M.B. Decemb. 22. 1618". Sig. B2r line 3 ends with "past" and the "3" of sig. "D3" is under and to the right of "t" of "the" (STC).
Marginal notes.
Unnumbered plate = port..
Last leaf is blank.
ESTC staff note
Backlog: 087 RB.23.a.6868; 957 810430p.
Exhibited
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2001-2002. The Reader Revealed (catalog entry 2)
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 1987. Folger's Choice (catalog entry 43)
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 1987. Folger's Choice (catalog entry 43)
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), 3062.3
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S123486
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S123486
Place of creation/publication
Great Britain -- England -- London.
Item Details
Call number
STC 3062.3
Folger-specific note
Imperfect: Lacking portrait and plates 3, 4, 6, 7, 16, and last blank; gathering D bound following plates. Bound in contemporary vellum (rebacked), with the arms of Augustine Vincent on both covers. Bound with: leaves from a variant edition of Jean de Beauchesne, La clef de l'escriture, London, [n.d.] - A nevv booke. London, 1611 - [44 Maps of England, Wales, and Ireland]. Autographs of James Burdon, John Burdon, John Barklay, and Alex Cameron; inscription: Bought this June 1839 for $ ..."
Folger accession
cs1427
Former call number
STC 3062