London: T. Richards for the Percy Society, 1843. An attractive volume of Percy Society tracts bound together. Half leather with black label and gilt titles. Marbled boards. Contains; Edward F. Rimbault (Editor). Cock Lorrell's Bote: A Satirical Poem. From an unique copy printed by Winkyn de Worde. No 30 of the Percy Society's publications. Feb. 1843. Original paper cover (quite darkened and stained). The rest is in very good condition. 15 pages. James Orchard Halliwell (Editor). Westward for Smelts, an early Collection of Stories. Number 78 of the Percy Society's publications. September 1848. Cover, half title, title, list of Percy Society patrons, preface, original title, introduction, 63 pages. A little darkening but overall in very good condition. Edward F. Rimbault. A knight's Conjuring: Done in earnest, discovered in Jest by Thomas Dekker from the original tract printed in 1607. Percy Society publication number 21. May 1842. Original paper covers, half title, title, list of Percy Society patrons, preface, original title, introduction, xvi, vi, 100 pages. A little darkening to the title, otherwise in very good condition. 200 x 130 mm (7¾ x 5 inches).
The Percy Society was a short lived British text publication society. It was founded in 1840 and collapsed in 1852. The Society was a scholarly collective, aimed at publishing limited-edition books of rare poems and songs. The president was Lady Braybrooke, and the twelve founding members of the committee included John Payne Collier, Thomas Crofton Croker, Thomas Wright, James Orchard Halliwell (treasurer), Charles Mackay, Edward Francis Rimbault (secretary) and William Chappell. Later members included William Sandys, and Robert Bell.