Caxton leaf. Higden, Ranulphus.

Polychronicon.

      [Westminster]: William Caxton, [after July 2 1482]. 2 leaves, being (1) leaf of text CCLV and (2) the colophon leaf CCCCxxxviii. Both leaves are rubricated. The first leaf has old manuscript notes in the margins. In good condition. A great rarity. Though Caxton leaves are not uncommon (there have been three Caxton leaf books published, and occasionally stray single leaves turn up), it is of the utmost rarity to see a Caxton colophon. This colophon is 14 lines and begins: "And here I make an ende of this lytel Werke as nigh as I can fynde after the forme of the werk to fore made by Ranulph monk of Chestre / And where as ther is fawlte/ I beseche them that shal rede it to correcte it..." and ends: "prayenge of all them that shall see this symple werke to pardone me of my symple / and rude wrytynge/ Ended the second day of Juyll the xxcvii yere of the regne of kynge Edward the fourth & of the incarnation of oure lord a thousand four honderd foure score and tweyne / Fynysshed per Caxton". Goff H-267. DeRicci 49. Pforzheimer 489 (Goff states 490 in error?). Oates 4080.