Printed 1563–1597
Rel.c.56.4

This spectacular gilt binding, which came to the Library in 1664 with the books of Richard Holdsworth, was executed in London for the organist and composer Dr John Bull, whose name appears on the upper cover. It was probably made by the so-called MacDurnan Gospels Binder, or John Bateman (a royal binder who acquired his tools). Bull may have had some connection to Cambridge (possibly King’s College) and spent his early career at Hereford Cathedral and the Chapel Royal. It is one of a number of similarly bound books known to have been in Bull’s possession, but it is not known if he commissioned them or if they were gifts. In any case, he is likely to have acquired the volume before he fled England for the Continent in 1613.