First edition of the Gospels in Anglo-Saxon, with parallel text in English. It is one of four books

First edition of the Gospels in Anglo-Saxon, with parallel text in English. It is one of four books printed in Anglo-Saxon types by John Daye for Matthew Parker (1504-1575), Archbishop of Canterbury, who in 1574 left his marvellous collection of over 600 medieval manuscripts to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

What is notable about the Alexander Turnbull Library copy is the inscription found on the title-page, which notes that this book was presented as a gift by Parker to the lawyer and MP Sir John Savile (1546-1607) of the Middle Temple on 15 August 1571.

The volume was received by the Turnbull Library in 1974 as part of the Sir Arthur Howard bequest.

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The Gospels of the fower Euangelistes translated in the olde Saxons tyme out of Latin …London: Iohn Daye, 1571, Alexander Turnbull Library, Howard 25.