Anonymous armorial bookplate of Sir Edward Bysshe (1615-1679).
Arms: Bysshe and Clare, quarterly dimidiated, impaling Green. Sir Edward Bysshe, Garter King of Arms, married Margaret, daughter of John Green of Boyshall, co. Essex; died 1679. Motto: Prudens Simplicitas.

Egerton Castle, in his English Book-Plates (London, 1893; p. 52) categorizes this plate as of the Carolian style, dates it to 1655, and describes it as “an indented, cusped and slightly scrolled shield, encompassed by palms tied together, wreath-like, by ribbands that interlace with the motto scroll, the whole contained within a line frame.” He illustrates it on p. [49].

This exemplar (11 x 6 cm) is mounted on the recto of front free endpaper facing the titlepage of Sir William D’Avenant (1606-1668), Gondibert: an Heroick Poem, London, Printed by Tho. Newcomb for John Holden, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Anchor in the New-Exchange, 1651. Call number: RHT 17th-149