[CATO, pseudo-]. Disticha de moribus. – PHILIPPUS DE BERGAMO (d. c.1380). Speculum regiminis. With additions by Robertus de Euremodio. Augsburg: [Anton Sorg], 2 November 1475.

First edition of the Speculum regiminis and one of the earliest editions of the Distichs, one of the most important and widely-circulated Latin text books. What may appear to be a commentary on the Distichs is in fact an original work by Philippus de Bergamo while reproducing much of the Distichs text. The Distichs were preceded in print only by Dutch prototypographical editions (surviving only in fragments) and possibly by a Basel edition of the same year; CIBN gives precedence to the present Sorg edition.

The Distichs taught generations of school children from the Middle Ages into the modern period. Chaucer mentions it and Benjamin Franklin probably learned from it at Boston Latin School. HC 4711*; BMC II 342; Bod-inc C-126; BSB-Ink D-189; CIBN C-160; GW 6277; Goff C-292; ISTC ic00292000.

Chancery folio (290 × 196mm). 484 leaves. Colophon reads “festi” (first leaf on guard with additional marginal repairs, final leaf laid on to later flyleaf, worming and soiling predominantly on first and final leaves, stains on p10r and Z9, one early index tab preserved). Later pigskin, armorial on covers in gold, tooled lettering on spine, catchplates (rubbed at extremities and along joints and spine bands). Provenance: “N.B.” (armorial on covers: Quarterly, I and IV, a goat rampant; II and III, a woodman with a club in nature) – Sidney Graves Hamilton, librarian of Hertford College, Oxford (1855–1916; bookplate) – Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884–1952; label; gifted to his daughter:) – Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913–1994; leather label); by descent.

The binding description has been updated to later pigskin (late 19th or early 20th century).