In your Number for August 10th, I observe an inquiry regarding a MS.
book of prayers said to have belonged to Queen Katherine Parr. Of the
book in question I know nothing, but there has lately come into my
possession a volume of early English printed devotional works, which
undoubtedly has belonged to this Queen. The volume is a small duodecimo,
bound red velvet, with gilt leaves, and it has had ornamental borders
and clasps of some metal, as the impressions of these are still
distinctly visible upon the velvet covering. The contents of this volume
are as follows:
1. "A sermon of Saint Chrysostome, wherein besyde that it is
furnysshed with heuenly wisedome and teachinge, he wonderfully
proueth that No man is hurted but of hym-selfe: translated into
Englishe by the floure of lerned menne in his tyme, Thomas
Lupsete, Londoner, 1534."
At the bottom of this title-page is written, in the well-known bold hand
of Katherine Parr,--"Kateryn the Quene, K.P.," with the equally
well-known flourish beneath.
2. "A svvete and devovte sermon of Holy Saynet Ciprian of
mortalitie of man. The rules of a Christian life made by Picus,
erle of Mirandula, both translated into Englyshe by Syr Thomas
Elyot, Knyght. Londini, Anno verbi incarnati MDXXXIX.
3. "An exhortation to yonge men, &c., by Thomas Lupsete,
Londener, 1534.