Of the palmary arguments against the date, one still remains. The first
Oxford type presents a remarkable similarity to that used by Gerard ten
Raem de Bercka (see p. 242), and his only dated book at present known is
of 1478. There is certainly a real connexion between the two founts, but
we know so extremely little of this printer that it is at present unsafe
to base any conclusion on his work. The typographical genealogy of the
early printers of the Netherlands and Germany has not yet been fully
drawn out, and of the 1478 ©Modus Confitendi© (Hain 11455), which is
here in question, only two copies _with the date_ are known, one in the
John Rylands (Spencer) library at Manchester and one on the continent.
On this point we shall doubtless know more in time, but at present we
are bound to suspend our judgment.