The Commonplace Book

Woodcuts and pictures from other people’s books, copied out with a caption apiece, as early modern readers kept commonplace books. First gathered on Twitter: #WoodcutWednesday, #NotALion and the manuscripts.

Sixteenth century

STC 791’s Meme Menagerie looks pretty good.

From: The book intytuled The art of good lywyng [and] good deyng
Printed: 1503
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 791)

Sixteenth century

But STC 792's Meme Menagerie is ridiculous. Simba? #DepressedUnicorn is still depressed.

From: The crafte to lyue well and to dye well
Printed: London: Wynkyn de Worde, 1505
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 792)

Sixteenth century

Reason is making out with a random woman while your wife sleeps beside you.

From: Pierre Gringore, Here begynneth the castell of laboure
Printed: London: Richard Pynson, 1505?
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 12380)

Sixteenth century

Time to make the doughnuts!

From: Pierre Gringore, Here begynneth the castell of laboure
Printed: London: Richard Pynson, 1505?
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 12380)

Sixteenth century

The House of Rest–well, except for the ladies. Then it's the House of Cooking.

From: Pierre Gringore, Here begynneth the castell of laboure
Printed: London: Richard Pynson, 1505?
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 12380)

Sixteenth century

"Every Fool knows you walk carrying the pointy side down, devil," Francis chastised.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Hairy Jesus Carpenter successfully casts an Expecto Patronum spell.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Randall immediately regretted entrusting his bag of devils to someone like Charlie.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Vanity, thy hairdresser is a devil.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

This is why you shouldn’t get nose-rings, kids.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Goats and the ladies who love them.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

“Camelot!” “Camelot!” “Camelot!” “It’s only a model.”

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Early moderns took their games of musical chairs rather seriously.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Every time Hank and Belinda found some alone time, this horny devil wanted to join in.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

No one in the department wanted to tell the chair he was an ass.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

Just a dude in armor standing on a devil.

From: Stephen Batman, A christall glasse of christian reformation wherein the godly maye beholde the…
Printed: 1569
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 1581)

Sixteenth century

When your best friend tells you he has slept with your bae.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

Eyebrows on fleek.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

When two small leaves will conceal the entirety of your man’s junk.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

When some douche starts bothering you in the club.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

Checke out thys fukkyn hipsteyre.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

When you wake up and discover that you've drunkenly made the wrong face tattoo choices.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

When you wake up and discover that you've drunkenly made the right face tattoo choices.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)

Sixteenth century

When your friend gets a new haircut and you have to tell them it looks nice.

From: Thomas Hill, The contemplation of mankinde contayning a singuler discourse after the art of…
Printed: 1571
Image from: Early English Books Online (STC 13482)