An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
Grafton, upon the accession of Edward VI., Thomas Berthelet continued 'the King's printer
seruaunt: as appears from an entry among the Trevelyan papers, published by the Camden
Society, of a reward, or gift, to him of 6s. 8d. on New Year's Day, 1548. At this time, Raine Wolf
was the king's Stationer. Berthelet, however, would seem to have furnished that prince with
bindings, both before and after his accession to the throne. The gilding upon a manuscript, In
Trogum Pompeium sive Justinum, et in Epistolas familiares Ciceronis, Chorographica, presented
by the author, Petrus Olivarius, to Prince Edward in 1546, is worked entirely in Berthelet's
manner, with solid tools of a Venetian character: the Prince of Wales' feathers in a crown, with
the initials E. P., and the legend ICH DIEN, upon a label, surrounded by a flamed circle, are
repeated on either board [Royal MS. 15, C, i.]. A second manuscript, a translation into English
1?y William Thomas, who dedicates his work to the king, of a book of travels entitled, Here
beginne the thinges that were seen and hearde by me Josaphat Barbaro Ci#zen of Venice in
twoo voiages that I made thone vnto Tana and thother into Persia,' also, retains its original
binding. Two fillets are carried about the board, at some distance from one another, so as to
form a panel; the inner fillet is interlaced with another of a lozenge form, and the panel is
ornamented with the arms of England in a flamed circle. Both the fillets and 'the circle are
painted black: and the intermediate spaces are tooled in gold, with Venetian scroll-work [Royal
MS. 17, C, x.J. The binding of a third manuscript, Gualteri De/oem' Commentarius in 3 prima
Capitula Geneseos Regi Edwardo vj,pro Strena datus, is less satisfactory in regard to the
design. The arms of the king are repeated in the centre of each board, with a crowned rose
above; and the initials E. R., with the badge of the Daisy, upon either side: while a kind of.
cornucopia is repeated some six times, with no very great art, about the panel, which is formed
by a plain-gilt fillet, with fleurons at the ~.mgl~s [Royal MS. 7, D, xx.]. Among the printed books
of the Old Royal Collection, is a copy of Cardinal Bembo's Ht"stort"a Veneta, Venice, 1551 [Co
24- c. 20.]; the binding of which is tooled by Berthelet with a design, finer, perhaps, than any,
which I have as yet described. The field of each board is broken into various circular and
quadrangular forms, by an interlaced fillet, painted black: the arms of England are tooled in the
central compartment, with the motto DlEV ET MON DROYT above; the date M.D.L'II, below; and
the initials E.R.,crowned, on either side. The remaining spaces are filled in with roses,
arabesques, and other tools; a few of which are in outline and coloured black. The same
collection contains, also, two simple bindings executed for the same prince: the one, La
Geografia dt" Claudt"o Ptolemeo, Venice, 1548 [Co 20. a. I.], is tooled with the legend OMNIS
POTESTAS A DEO, and a single border line, in gold; while the edges of the leaves are painted
with the arms and initials of the king, in gold and colours: the other, De A mpl#udt"ne
Mt"serz'cordt"ae Dd, by Marsilo Andreasi, Basle, 1550 [C. 46. c.], bears on each cover, the arms
and initials of the king, within a blind fillet, with gilt fleurons at the angles.