aa8 bb-hh6 a-y8 z6 A-S8 T6 U-X8. 398 leaves, complete. Translated from Latin into English, with additions, by John de Trevisa, edited by William Caxton. Black letter, double column, woodcut initials. Title in red and black with woodcuts. Further illustrated with two full-page woodcuts (of a battle and of St. George and the dragon), woodcut border of hunting scenes around colophon, woodcut musical notation illustrating diapason on n5r (using the same block as the 1495 edition), woodcut portraits of kings, queens, and saracens printed from 6 blocks, with repetitions. (Small folio) 10¾x7½, modern calf in antique style, all edges gilt. Third Edition.

First illustrated edition of Higden's universal history, including additions by Trevisa, Caxton and others. Caxton printed the first edition in 1482. The second edition was published by Wynkyn de Worde in 1485. The woodcut illustrations appear for the first time in this third edition by Peter Treveris (except for the diapason block taken over from Wynkyn, which in 1495 was the earliest printed musical notation in an English book). Trevisa's translations of Bartholomaeus Anglicus and Higden "may reasonably be considered the corner-stones of English prose," and his addition of The Description of England is the "first delineation of England and her story in native English" (CHEL). This copy has a mid-16th century marriage gift inscription on the blank following the contents attesting that it was given to Vawde by [Alice] James. Alice James married Robert Mowlde in 1566/7. Signature of Jos. Smithe on title. "Censored" copy with the word "Pope" effaced or pencilled in red throughout.