The purple island, or, The isle of man
Subtitle: together with Piscatorie eclogs and other poeticall miscellanies
By: By P.F.
Series: Early English Books, 1475-1640 -- 1924:34
Publisher: Printed by the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge
Published: 1633
Place of publication: Cambridge
Language: eng
Number of pages: 181
Subjects: Human anatomy; Early works to 1800; Fishing; Poetry
Other titles: Isle of man; Piscatorie eclogs.; Elisa.
Notes: Nos. 97-100 (2nd count) omitted in paging.

Title in red and black with printer's device on t.p.; head and tail pieces.

STC (2nd ed.) gives Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel as printers.

Illustrations probably engraved by William Marshall.

"The Piscatorie eclogs" and "Elisa" have special title pages.

The commendations include verse by Francis Quarles & Edward Bendlowes.

The Purple island is an elaborate allegorical poem describing the human body with anatomical notes in the margin.

Large paper edition; double inner margin measures 30 mm. Such copies were apparently printed for the dedicatee, Edward Benlowes, who added (1) an engraving of his arms entwined with those of Fletcher (? or Quarles) on the verso of t.p. (2) an illustrated engraved English verse anagram on his name ("Sun=warde beloved") on the blank leaf following the t.p. of "Piscatorie eclogs" & (3) in some copies, a leaf with an illustrated engraved Latin verse anagram on his name ("Duras, à Deo Benevolus") following p. 54 (2nd count). These engravings were perhaps printed on Benlowes' private rolling press at Brent Hall, Finchingfield; see H. Jenkins, Edward Benlowes (1952), p. 71.

Copies vary; in some the comma after "eclogs" in the special t.p. of "Piscatorie eclogs" is in black-letter, in others it is a roman comma. Also the special t.p. of "Elisa" has a border of fleurons or of rules.

STC (2nd ed.) 11082.5