Chaucer (Geoffrey) The Workes, edited by William Thynne, 2 parts in 1, double column, black letter, title to part 2 within woodcut architectural border, woodcuts of the Knight and a squire, woodcut criblé initials, contemporary ink marginalia, lacking all before A4 (including first title), A6-8, 3P1, 3Q1,5&6, some of these provided in attractive contemporary manuscript, 2S1-4 repairs where text excised or in case of the 2S4 torn away, some text supplied in same hand as above, 2R6 upper corner repaired with loss of text, a few tears, last few ff. loose, some water-staining / staining, occasional spotting, lightly browned throughout, contemporary blind-ruled panelled calf, worn, with loss, lower cover detached, [cf. STC 5074; Pforzheimer 175; Grolier 41], small folio, [c.1550]; sold not subject to return.

⁂ One of four variants of the undated fourth collected edition, which was published simultaneously by four London booksellers (William Bonham, Richard Kele, Thomas Petit and Robert Toye). It is the last edition of Thynne's highly regarded version of The Workes. Thynne held a number of offices at the Court of Henry VIII, including chief clerk of the kitchen, who was in charge of all royal banquets.