Plutarch was born in c. 46 AD in Greece to a wealthy family, and studied mathematics and philosophy at the Academy of Athens. Although at some point he took up Roman citizenship, he lived for most of his life at Chaeronea, and for many years served as one of the two priests at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the site of the famous Delphic Oracle, twenty miles from his home. By his writings and lectures Plutarch became a celebrity in the Roman Empire, yet he continued to reside where he was born, and actively participated in local affairs, even serving as mayor. At his country estate, guests from all over the empire congregated for serious conversation, presided over by Plutarch in his marble chair.

Parallel Lives is Plutarch’s best-known work, and consists of a series of biographies of famous Greeks and Romans, arranged in pairs to illustrate their common moral virtues and vices.

This copy was almost certainly bound in the workshop of a binder known as the 'King Edward and Queen Mary Binder'. This workshop was however probably in operation since their father Henry VIII's reign, from about 1545 until at least 1558, as a number of books were bound for Edward VI when Prince of Wales. This book was bound during the reign of Mary I, as indicated by the coat of arms on the binding.

Binding information

Contemporary dark brown calf binding, with blind- and gold-tooling on both sides and spine. Left and right boards re-backed onto a light brown calf.

On both sides, the outer restored section blind-tooled with triple fillet lines; original binding tooled with an outer gold-tooled fillet and blind-tooled triple fillet border, followed by a larger inner gold-tooled fillet border, filled with gold-tooled heart-shaped vine tool, applied as if a roll; gold-tooled in each of the outer corners, a circular vine tool, identical to that used on RCIN 1121592 (Add B 5); gold-tooled in the centre, the arms of Mary I, surmounted by a crown, flanked by 'S'-shaped vine stamp and surrounded by circular sunburst design. Arms one stamp, rather than built up with many stamps, as with some Edward VI's bindings (for example, RCIN 1121592/Add B 5).
 
Spine restored in light brown calf; divided into six compartments divided by raised bands, with gold-tooled fillet to either side of bands. In the centre of each compartment, a crown tool (imitation of design on right and left boards); head and tail of spine gold-tooled with vine and leaf fillet roll.

A number of other bindings containing Mary I's coat of arms survive. The coat of arms on these bindings all appear identical to that used on this book, suggesting the same stamp/panel was used. Interestingly, unlike Mary, Edward VI had a much more diverse array of arms that were executed both as one united stamp and built up with several stamps (see 1121592/Add B 5).

Other bindings containing Mary I's coat of arms include: BL C. 27 e. 13; BL C. 24 e. 15; BL Davis 87; Trinity College, Oxford, K. 7. 9.