Dibdin, Thomas Frognall; Spencer, George John [Oth.]: Bibliotheca Spenceriana: or a descriptive catalogue of the books printed in the fifteenth century, and of many valuable first editions, in the library of George John Earl Spencer (Band 3) (London, 1814) [Cicognara, 4650-3]

190

MISCELLANEOUS. [.Rome; 1474.

635. Blondus Flavius. Italia Illustrata.
Printed by I. P. de Lignamine. Pome. 1474.
Folio.

Editio Princeps. A table of 16 leaves preeedes the text: a
register being on the reverse of the 16th. Then a blank leaf: Next,
an epistle of the printer (who tells us that he was bom in Sicily:—
‘ siciliam unde ego sum ortus’) to Pope Sixtus IV. On tlie recto of
the ensuing leaf we read this prefix to the preface of the author:

BLONDII FLAVII FORLIVIENSIS : IN ITALI/
AM ILLVSTRATAM PREFATIO INCIPIT
FOELICITER.

The first book begins on the reverse of this leaf. A full page has 34
lines. On the recto of fol. 172 and last, is the colophon, thus:

Rorae I domo Nobilis uiri iohannis Philippi de
Lig'namine. Messanen. S. D. N. familiaris. hic liber
impressus est. Anno domini MCCCCLXXIIII. Die
uero lune quinta. Mensis Decembris. Pont. Sixti
IIII. Anno Quarto.

There are some particularities relating to this impression which are
worth mentioning. Audiffredi notices the existence of a copy, upon
vellum, which contained, instead of the epistle of Lignamen, that of
Gasper Blonclus, the son and editor of Flavius Blondus. In other re-
spects, the impressions seem precisely similar. The same bibliographer
observes thatthe ‘ Roma Instaurata/ which Laire (Ilist. Typog. Rom.
p. 210) had supposed to have been executed by De Lignamine, is evi-
dently the woi'k of a different artist. Consult the Edit. Rom. p. 163-4;
and particularly Panzer, voL ii. p. 447-8. The present edition is rather
indifferently printed. A sound copy ; in russia binding.