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the royal arms, and such a profusion of gilt ornament |as to nearly cover the sides. The “ Thevet HominesIllustres,” large folio, Paris, 1584, is in green m;-rocco, the royal arms in the centre, surrounded byscroll and ornamental work. Another, the “ Csere-moniaile Episcoporum,” folio, Rome, 1600, bears theshield of the royal arms in the centre, and the remain-ing space completely studded with the rose, thistle, |&c. The like ornament is also found on another folio,bearing the initials of Charles I .
But James VI. , of Scotland, who, by the death ofElizabeth, became the first of England, had long beena patron of bookbinders. A great lover of literature,like many of his royal predecessors, he transferred tothe covers of his books some idea of his estimation oftheir contents. A document found by Mr. Thomson,of the Record Office, Edinburgh , and published bythe Bannatyne Club,* not only gives an account of jthis monarch’s books, but many notices of the sums Jpaid to, and transactions with booksellers, printers, Iand binders. Our subject relates to the latter, and for- jtunately many items occur which throw considerablelight on the sort of bindings and prices paid in thenorthern capital about the year 1580.
We have seen that there was the “king’s book-binder” in the time of Henry VIII. , and here wehave an appointment of John Gibson, under the privyseal, dated at Dalkeith, 29th July, 1581, to the likeoffice under James VI .