Richard Fawkes imprint.- Hereafter Folowith the boke callyd the Myrroure of Oure Lady very necessary for all relygyous persones, 3 parts in 1, first edition, almost entirely printed in black letter, lacking blank leaf G4 at end of part 2 otherwise complete, first title with large woodcut and decorative border, full-page woodcut to verso, woodcut illustration to B1v and full-page woodcut to R6v, large woodcut printer's device within border to G3v, title to part 3 with large woodcut, woodcut initials throughout, first title with tear and margins repaired and with small portion provided in pen and ink facsimile, lower margin of all other leaves repaired (and thus slightly stained) to some extent, largely unaffecting text but occasionally with some letters provided in pen and ink facsimile, some light browning and marginal staining, later blind-stamped calf, rebacked preserving original spine, corners rubbed, [STC 17542], small folio, Fynysshed and Impryn in the suburbes of the famous Cytye of London withoute Temple Barre by me Richard Fawkes, dwellynge in Durresme Rentes or else in Powles Churchyerde at the synge of the A.B.C., 1530.

⁂ Extremely rare - this is the only copy we can trace at auction (it last appeared in 1980) in over 100 years. Part 1 comprises two prologues, a table of the 22 chapters and then 31 leaves on the Divine Service; part 2 begins on folio 32 and ends on folio 144 with the colophon on recto and a woodcut on the verso, followed by a blank leaf (not present in this copy). This middle part consists of the service for each day of the week - each called a 'story' and of which Sunday is by far the longest. Part 3 begins on folio 166 and ends on folio 183 with no colophon or printer's device, followed by 6 leaves.

The printer, Richard Fawkes, was born in Normandy and was possibly related to William Faques, the King's printer. His first dated book was issued in 1509 and 2 years later he and others collaborated with Wynkyn de Worde in the production of a Sarum Missal which was printed for them by Raoul Cousturier in Paris. At this period he spelt his name Faques and worked "at the sign of the Maiden's Head in St. Paul's Churchyard." He later changed the spelling of his name to Fakes, then Faukes and finally, as here in the final dated book he issued, Fawkes. The woodcut on the verso of the title-page has the engraver's initials "E.G.", also found in a cut of St. Katherine used by Richard Pynson. "Time has spared very few of his publications, and his books may be treasured among the rarities of the typographical art." (T.F. Dibdin)

Provenance: Daniel Rock,1799-1871, Roman Catholic priest (bookplate and signature), plus tipped-in letter relating to the return of this book, along with others, to Sir N. W. Throckmorton of Buckland, nr. Farringdon, Berks after Canon Rock's death.