Vergil, Polydore

4to (8 x 5 3/8 in.; 205 x 135mm). Title-page with woodcut printer's device, initial spaces with printed guides, a few early annotations in book 3 on agriculture and in book 6 on penitence, a few deckle edges, with two pages of notes containing instructions for knitting stockings on the rear endpapers in a sixteenth-century italic hand, said to be that of Mary, Queen of Scots, as a youth; new endpapers. Contemporary blind-tooled French calf; rebacked and rubbed.

"Tandius [?] le victe me possidet" (early inscription at end) — Du Mesgnil (early inscription on title-page) — Fortin (inscription on titlepage) — Marie, Lady Tedder (died 1965), sale, Sotheby's, London, 16 December 1958, lot 543. acquisition: Purchased at the foregoing sale through Bernard Quaritch

Renouard, Estienne p.29; Schreiber 38

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The notes at the end of this book have been associated with Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587). Mary spent her childhood at the French court before marrying the future king François II in 1558. The present notes may include a reference to her father-in-law, Henri II ("henry par la grace"), who died in 1559 when François became king. The italic print hand found here is similar to that of the young Mary, and she may well have owned a quarto copy of Polydore Vergil (see Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalogues 12: Scottish Libraries, ed. Higgitt [2006], S17.89, p.200) but there is no convincing signature or provenance to connect the book with any certainty to her.