Book of Common Prayer

The Booke of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments: And other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England. London: Robert Barker and the Assignes of John Bill, 1636



Folio (14 x 8 ¾ in.; 355 x 222 mm), inlaid throughout to accommodate a suite of 25 engraved illustrations of which 9 are signed by William Faithorne dated 1653 or 1657 ruled in red, woodcut title border with the arms of Charles I, divisional title of "Psalms" and "The Forme and Manner" in woodcut title border, numerous elaborate woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces; small repaired tears in leaves F1 and H1, some discoloration at the inlay joins. Contemporary maroon dyed goatskin, gilt-ruled in a panel design with gilt floral tools lining the inner frame, a bouquet at each side of the frame and floral stamps at four corners of both frames, gilt-stamped armorial crest of Charles II on both covers with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" on the garter and "Dieu et mon droit" supporting the Lion and Unicorn, spine richly gilt, by Samuel Mearne; joints and edges rubbed, ties gone, a few minor stains and repairs, bibliographic notes in pencil on front endpapers in an 18^{th-century hand.}

Sir William Flower (fl. 1641, according to penciled bibliographic note) — Henry Flower, First Viscount Ashbrook (18^th-century bookplate) — Edward Bond (bookplate, dated 1905)

The Booke of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments: And other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England. London: Robert Barker and the Assignes of John Bill, 1636 Folio (14 x 8 ¾ in.; 355 x 222 mm), inlaid throughout to accommodate a suite of 25 engraved illustrations of which 9 are signed by William Faithorne dated 1653 or 1657 ruled in red, woodcut title border with the arms of Charles I, divisional title of "Psalms" and "The Forme and Manner" in woodcut title border, numerous elaborate woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces; small repaired tears in leaves F1 and H1, some discoloration at the inlay joins. Contemporary maroon dyed goatskin, gilt-ruled in a panel design with gilt floral tools lining the inner frame, a bouquet at each side of the frame and floral stamps at four corners of both frames, gilt-stamped armorial crest of Charles II on both covers with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" on the garter and "Dieu et mon droit" supporting the Lion and Unicorn, spine richly gilt, by Samuel Mearne; joints and edges rubbed, ties gone, a few minor stains and repairs, bibliographic notes in pencil on front endpapers in an 18th-century hand.
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A beautiful and imposing example of a Book of Common Prayer, extra-illustrated with portraits of saints and New Testament scenes of which nine are signed by William Faithorne (1616–1691). The dates 1653 and 1657 in these engravings provide a terminus post quem for the binding which bears the arms of Charles II and so must have been created after the Restoration (1661).

The binding is similar, and uses the same armorial supralibros, as example no. 30 (and others) in Nixon's English Restoration Bindings (1974), attributed to the royal binder Samuel Mearne. It should be noted that the presence of the royal arms shows that the book was used in one of the many royal chapels, not that it was the personal copy of any ruler.

Sir William Flower is noted as having distinguished himself in the Irish Wars and made a member of the Privy Council after the Restoration (Biographical Peerage of Ireland, London: 1817, p. 241).