{"product_id":"early-english-reformation-printing-john-bale-s-anti-monastic-actes-of-the-englysh-votaryes-london-1551-complete-in-two-parts","title":"Early English Reformation Printing - John Bale’s Anti-Monastic “Actes of the Englysh Votaryes” – London 1551 – Complete in Two Parts","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eEarly English Reformation Printing – John Bale’s Anti-Monastic “Actes of the Englysh Votaryes” – London 1551 – Complete in Two Parts\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eBALE, John (1495–1563)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The first two partes of the Actes or unchast examples of the Englysh votaryes, gathered out of their owne legenades [sic], and Chronycles by Johan Bale, and dedycated to our most redoubted soveraigne Edward the syxte.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-London: Imprinted for Johan Bale, 1551.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Two parts in one volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Complete: [4], 78, [2], 120, [3] leaves (with the blank at the end of the first part but lacking the final blank K8).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Collation: *⁴, A–P⁸, Q⁴; A–K⁸ (-K8, final blank).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Printed by Steven Mierdman for Abraham Veale, 1551.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Part 1: “Imprynted at London by Abraham Vele, dwellyng in Pauls churcheyarde at the sygne of the Lambe. Anno 1551.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Part 2: “Imprinted at London, for Johan Bale, in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.\u0026amp;LI. and are to be solde wythin Paules chayne, at the sygne of S. John Baptist.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-General title-page with a large woodcut depicting John Bale presenting his book to the young King Edward VI, repeated on the verso of leaf viii of the Second Part.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-General title-page remargined at the fore-edge, *2 with an old marginal paper repair, old worm track to the base of 12 leaves around signatures P–Q, not affecting text; otherwise a very good copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003e-Early nineteenth-century calf decorated in blind and gilt. Rebacked in modern calf to style, retaining the earlier endpapers. All edges gilt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis is an uncommon complete copy of John Bale’s anti-monastic Protestant polemic, printed in London during the reign of the young Edward VI and dedicated to the King.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eJohn Bale (1495–1563) was an English churchman from Suffolk who became a Carmelite friar in early life. In 1534 he married, left the convent, and converted to Protestantism, becoming one of the most vocal Protestant polemicists of the English Reformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIn the \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eActes of the Englysh Votaryes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, Bale attacked the vices and excesses of the Catholic Church and monastic life. He attempted to construct a history of the corruption of English religious institutions from their own chronicles and legends. Bale was particularly aggressive in his attacks on what he regarded as the sexual hypocrisy of monks and the monastic orders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eBale also promoted other “foundation” myths for the Church in England, famously stating that Joseph of Arimathea had come to Britain before the Roman Church and founded a purer and truer church, which Britain was only now rediscovering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThis 1551 edition was produced during the increasingly Protestant reign of Edward VI (1537–1553). The woodcut title-page depicts Bale presenting his work to the young King. The printing is attributed to Steven Mierdman, an important Protestant printer from Antwerp who worked in London during Edward VI’s reign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eProvenance: From the James Dix Biblical Collection, with his bookplate dated 1850. The library of James Dix was sold by Sotheby’s in 1870.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eUncommon on the market. Only two copies of this 1551 printing appear to have been offered at auction since 1917.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"De Bry Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57153258652026,"sku":null,"price":7500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0624\/2969\/2075\/files\/PHOTO-2026-08-07-23-27-276.jpg?v=1786186763","url":"https:\/\/debryrarebooks.com\/products\/early-english-reformation-printing-john-bale-s-anti-monastic-actes-of-the-englysh-votaryes-london-1551-complete-in-two-parts","provider":"De Bry Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}