The parly of beasts, or, Morphandra Queen of the Inchanted Iland : wherein men were found, who being transmuted to beasts, though proffer'd to be dis-inchanted, and to becom men again, yet , in regard of the crying sins, and rebellious humors of the times, they prefer the life of a brute animal before that of a rational creture ..
A 1660 London allegorical prose work by James Howell, printed by W. Wilson for William Palmer, a satire on Puritan-era sins and rebellious humours told through men transformed into beasts. The four pictures are ornamental woodcut printer's pieces: two large decorated initial letters, a T and an M, framed in leafy scrollwork with hatched shading, and two narrow strapwork headpieces with scrolls, fleurs-de-lis, rosettes and thistles. A designer could draw on their hatched black-and-cream contrast, stylised foliage, and framed initial-letter structure for borders, drop caps and heritage typography.
