ach dem kam iacob selb sibenzigst in . . . . .augen egipiè vnd sant sein sun iudas vor zu ioseph vñ der sagt pm das er kümen were. Do wart ioseph gar fro vnd fur gegen pm vnd empfing in freutlich vnd vmb ving in vñ weint. Do sprach iacob zu ioseph. Ich stirb mu frolich so ich dein antluz hab gese hen. Darnach sagt ioseph dem kunig das seğ vater vnd alles sein geschlecht vnd als ir gut kūmen wer. And furt die funff iungē pruder zu dem kunig. Die sprache herren wir vinden vnserm vihe nicht weide in vnserm lāde. Darumb pit wir dich das du vns erla ubst das wir dein knecht in dem lāde pelse woně. Do sprach der kunig zu iosepn das lant egipti stet in dei ner hant lafs sie der aller pestë erdë wonë vnd gib in das lant pelse. Darnach furt ioseph sein vater fur den kunig. Do gesegëter in vnd fragt wie alter were. Do sprach er. Ich pin hüdert vnd drefsig iar alt. Do gab er seine vater vnd seinë geschlecht das pest lant Hamaeses vnd speiset sie. wan es was in aller werlt grofser hüger vnd süderlich in egipto vñ chanaan.* Fol. ix. rev. and fol. x. rect. On the 15th leaf commences THE HISTORY OF DANIEL, thus: Hie hebt sich an die historij danielis Under a wood-cut of Nebuchadnezzar sleeping in his bed, and Daniel standing upright, against a pillar, by the side of him: fifteen lines are beneath. This history contains 15 leaves, and has 18 wood-cuts. I subjoin a specimen of one of the latter, on fol. viii rect. representing ... After them came Jacob himself 70.. Egypt and sent his son Judah before him to Joseph, and he told him that he was coming. Then was Joseph very glad, and went toward him, and received him kindly, and embraced him and wept. Then spake Jacob to Joseph. I now die joyful since I have seen thy face. After this, Joseph told the king that his father, and all his kindred, and all their goods were come. And he brought his five young brothers to the king. They said, my Lord we find no fodder for our cattle in our land. Wherefore we pray thee that thou wilt allow us thy servants to dwell in the land of Jesse. Then spake the king to Joseph. The land of Egypt is in thine hand, let them dwell in the best land, and give them the land of Jesse. Then Joseph brought his father before the king; who blessed him and asked him how old he was. Then spake he, I am an hundred and thirty years old. Then gave he to his father and his kindred the best land, Rameses; and fed them, when there was great hunger in all the world, and particularly in Egypt and Canaan.' Nebuchadnezzar returning to his palace after his banishment to graze with the cattle. The centinel or guard is made to run away with terror; at the sight of his unknown master, who appears as a wild man. There is an extraordinary air of rude simplicity throughout the whole. The HISTORY OF JUDITH immediately follows, with a wood-cut at top, in manner similar to the foregoing ones: having this title below: Hie hebt sich an die historij Judith. Fifteen lines are beneath. The history comprises fifteen leaves, embellished with fourteen cuts. The thirteenth cut is borrowed from one in the History of Joseph; and of the fourteenth, there is a feeble facsimile published by Camus at the end of his description of this work in the Mémoires de l'Institut. The HISTORY OF ESTHER is the next and last subject here treated of. It commences under a wood-cut, thus: Hie hebt sich an die historij Hester. Fifteen lines, as usual, are beneath. The tract comprehends fourteen leaves, and has fifteen wood-cuts: some of them of a singularly rude and interesting character. On the recto of the fourteenth leaf, we have the following poetical colophon, printed as prose. It is of great consequence in the history of early printing.* * I subjoin, for the amusement of the curious, a metrical English version of this German colophon, executed after the ancient manner, by a modern hand. Both colophons are here placed side by side. Ein ittlich mensch von herzen gert Die vns wold gnad erberben mag Amen. Each man with eagerness desires To learn, and to be wise aspires. This little book hath gain'd its end. (R. W. W.) Ein ittlich mensch von herzen gert. Das er wer weilz vnd wol gelert. An meister vñ schrift das nit mag sein. So kun wir all auch nit latein. Darauff han ich ein teil gedacht. Und vier historij zu samen pracht. Joseph daniel vñ auch iudith. Und hester auch mit gutem sith. die vier het got in seiner hut. Als er noch pe dễ guten thut. Dar durch wir pefsern vnser lebē. Dē puchlein ist sein ende gebē. Czu bambergk in der selbē stat. Das albrecht päster gedrucket hat Do mã zalt tausent vñ vierhüdert iar. Im zweiund sechzigstē das ist war. Nat lang nach sand walpurgen tag. Die vns wol gnad erberben mag. Frið vñ das ewig lebe. Das wolle vns got allē gebē. Amē With the exception of the reversed cut in the History of Joseph, all the cuts in this copy are rudely coloured; which may, in some little measure, have affected the accuracy of the foregoing fac-similes. A full page contains 28 lines. The ink is sufficiently black and without gloss; and the printing is remarkably well in register. The types are precisely similar to those of the Bible, described at p. 9, ante. There are neither numerals, catchwords, nor signatures; and the capital initials are uniformly introduced by the rubricator. It has been observed, at the commencement of the description of this volume, that its rarity is exceedingly great; and that, with the exception of the copy in the Imperial Library at Paris, no other copy of it is known. The reader will be pleased to examine the preceding pages (7 and 8) and he will find a brief notice of the manner in which the Parisian copy was discovered and described. Although Camus, in the authority there referred to, has been sufficiently copious in his account of two other treatises, printed in the same character, he has not described the present production with the same minuteness with which it is here introduced to the reader's acquaintance: nor are his fac-similes quite so correct. The importance of such a volume to the typographical antiquary, is very great; for it informs us that the art of printing was exercised at Bamberg in 1462: and that, as the name of Pfister is subjoined both to the present work, and to another called 'BELIAL,' (in the present collection-afterwards described) the same |