Higden's work, divided into 7 books and extending to the year 1348, was originally written in Latin. The English translation was made by John Trevisa, who continued it to 1357. The 8th book, 1358-1460, was added by Caxton, who in 1482 printed the work from Trevisa's translation, revising the antiquated text. This edition is a reprint of Caxton's edition; the text is unaltered and unextended. De Worde's only additions were a better Table and the insertion of the woodcut music (spaces left blank in Caxton's edition) on leaf 101. This is said to be the first music printed in England.

The author is named on the colophon page.

Place and printer from colophon; imprint date appears before place and printer.

Leaf a1 recto: the last word is "englisshe", while in an early (trial?) setting, the last word is "englysshe."

Signatures: 2áı 2b-2h́œ a-ýı źœ A-Śı T́œ V-X́ı (2h6 blank)

With a title-page woodcut.

Caxton's device on last leaf.

Includes index.

ESTC S106488

Goff H-268

Hain-Copinger 8660

BM 15th cent., XI, p. 195-196 (IB. 55173, IB. 55172)

GW 12469

ISTC ih00268000

Cataloged 2015 jmoschella

Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy bound in early (ca. 18th-/19th-century) diced Russia panelled in gilt. The spine is rebacked in brown goatskin with black and red labels. The bookplate of the BPL Schofield Fund is present on the front pastedown and the perforation stamp of the Library is present on the title page. Early marginalia, in various hands, is present throughout, as are inscriptions, autographs, and pen trials. Present in the margin of leaf XXV is an early manuscript alphabet signed "Robert Russilles". In this copy, quires 2áı through 2h́œ (the first 50 leaves) are wanting and numerous other leaves have been added in from one or more different copies. The final ten leaves are wanting and have been replaced in ca. 18th-/19th-century pen facsimile.