Thumb Bible. Taylor (John) Verbum Sempiternum, second edition. Printed [by F. Collins] for T. Ilive, at the Nags-Head in Jewen-Street. London. [1694].

[283 of 288] pages. Woodcut head- and tail-pieces, lacking imprimatur f., half-title 'The Bible', blank before title and final 2 ff. (S7 final f. of text proper, S8 blank), the Bible text itself being complete, title soiled, occasional marginal loss, occasional spotting, lightly browned, lacking endpapers. 41 x 53 mm. Contemporary calf, chipped, creased and rubbed. John Taylor (1578-1653) was an autodidactic poet and travel writer who created the genre of thumb bibles with his 'Verbum Sempiternae' & 'Salvator Mundi' (rhyming verse - mostly iambic pentameter - summaries of the Old & New Testaments), first published in 1614 - they were intended for adults but attracted a youthful readership. Although this book ran into 32 editions over 300 years, the first American edition only dates back to 1750 and back to 1752 on Continental Europe. Adomeit, B88. Bondy, 15. Johnston, V. Stone, Snuff-Boxfull, 23. Welsh, 1178. Wing T526. OCLC, 1063182810. WorldCat locates one copy worldwide (at the British Library).