0
Homerus cum comment. Eustathii, 4 vols., folio, corio turcico
et folio deaur. Romae, 1542 7 0 0
Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' London, 1668 0 2 1
'P. Plowman's Vision,' London, 1550 0 1 7
Purchas's 'Pilgrims and Pilgrimage,' 5 vols., 1625-66 3 5 6
Shakespeare's Works, London, 1632 (second edition) 0 14 0

A comparison of the foregoing prices with those which the books would
realize to-day will suggest some interesting conclusions; but as the
means of doing this are in the hands of everyone, it is not necessary to
discuss them here. In the Bodleian Library there is an exceedingly
interesting letter from R. Scott, the bookseller, to Samuel Pepys, dated
June 30, 1688. Scott writes: 'Having at length procured Campion, Hanmer
and Spencer's Hist. of Ireland, fol. (which I think you formerly
desired), I here send itt you, with 2 very scarce bookes besides, viz.
Pricaei Defensio Hist. Britt. 4{o} and old Harding's Chronicle, as alsoe
the Old Ship of Fooles in verse by Alex. Berkley, priest; which last,
though nott scarce, yet so very fayre and perfect, that seldome comes
such another; the Priceus you will find deare, yett I never sold it
under 10s., and att this tyme can have it of a person of quality; butt
without flattery, I love to find a rare book for you, and hope shortly
to procure for you a perfect's Hall's Chronicle.' With the books Scott
sent his statement of account as follows:

L s. d.
Campion, Hanmer and Spenser, fol. 0 12 0
Harding's 'Chronicle,' 4to. 0 6 0
'Pricaei Defens. Hist. Brit.' 0 8 0
'Shipp of Fooles,' fol. 0 8 0
--------
1 14 0

Whether Scott obtained these items at the Digby sale or not, we cannot
say; it is by no means unlikely, and if so, his desire to do Mr. Pepys a
good turn may be estimated by the fact that he made a profit of 3s. 8d.
over the last item in the bill, and the profit on the others would
doubtless be arranged on a similar scale. The second and the fourth
items, however, would be now worth from 15 to 20 guineas. Both Sir John
Price's 'Historiae Britannicae,' 1573, and the histories of Ireland by
Hanmer, Campion and Spenser, 1633, are very rare and very important
books, and would not be