The essayes of a prentise, in the diuine art of poesie.

Imprinted at Edinbrugh [sic] : By Thomas Vautroullier, 1584.

[128] p. ; (4to)

In verse, mostly in Scots dialect.
By James VI of Scotland and (later) James I of England, whose name (Jacobus Sextus) is given in an acrostic on A1r.
At foot of title: Cum priuilegio regali.
Signatures: *⁴ A-P⁴.
"The Vranie translated", "Ane metaphoricall inuention of a tragedie called Phoenix", "A paraphrasticall translation out of the poete Lucane", "Ane schort treatise", "The CIIII. Psalme" each has divisional title page; register is continuous.
"The Uranie" is a translation of "L'Uranie ou Muse celeste" by Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas, with French and English on facing pages.
A variant of this edition is dated 1585.

Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 1992. Fine and Historic Bookbindings (catalog entry 7:4)

Pollard, A.W. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, & Ireland and of English books printed abroad, 1475-1640 (2nd ed.) (STC), 14373
Carl H. Pforzheimer Library, 528
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S109108

Great Britain -- Scotland.

STC 14373

HH121/23. Vellum binding, painted orange, with black blocking and tooling and remnants of ties; covers have panel design with one-line fillet border and centerpiece of strap and arabesque work; 'W. Lord Burghley' lettered on both covers; within a blue goatskin case, signed by Riviere & Son. Manuscript waste: part of manuscript fragment visible under front paste-down; manuscript ruled in red. Provenance: William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, copy; armorial bookplate (mottoes 'nemo me impune lacessit' and 'through') identified as Duke of Hamilton; Sotheby sale, 18 February 1920:628; collated by F. S. Ferguson at Quaritch, 21.ii.1920; Harmsworth copy