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Mr. Philip D. Burden
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com
A fine example of the rare FIRST EDITION of Sir Walter Raleigh’s cornerstone work of historiography. It is considered one of the greatest books published in England in the first half of the seventeenth century. Raleigh (1554-1618) is undoubtedly one of the most colourful and famous figures of the Elizabethan era. Along with a successful military career he was one of the prime motivators in encouraging English settlement of North America playing a leading role in the Roanoke Colony of the 1580s. Having fallen out of favour dramatically when James I came to the throne Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower of London in July 1603. Whilst there he wrote a large amount of prose but his major literary contribution was ‘The History of the World’. It was planned for a much wider audience and work commenced in 1607. Raleigh worked closely with several scholars of the day.
The book was entered at Stationer’s Hall in 1611 and finally published in 1614. It is considered one of the earliest English views on the history of the world. It was suppressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 22 December 1614 and the King’s own agents began seizing copies. “According to Chamberlain the suppression came about because it was ‘too sawcie in censuring princes’ (Letters of John Chamberlain, 1.568) … One principal theme of the work was the general wickedness of kings and the severity of God’s judgement upon them” (ODNB). This was soon lifted and the book was reprinted in 1617. This is the earlier of the two editions with the colophon dated 1614 and the errata uncorrected. Further editions were printed in 1621, 1624, 1628, 1666, and 1684, 1687 and throughout the 18th century. Provenance: bookplate pasted on verso of title of Thomas Millington (after 1680-1714) of Gosfield Hall, Gosfield, Essex, son of Thomas Middleton (physician in ordinary to William III and Queen Anne), High Sheriff of Essex 1708-09, MP for Great Bedwyn 1711-14; bookplate of Viscount Strathallan; ink stamp of Daniel Wray, Charterhouse, London. Pforzheimer 820; STC 20637. ESTC S116300; Pforzheimer 820; Sabin 67560.
The book was entered at Stationer’s Hall in 1611 and finally published in 1614. It is considered one of the earliest English views on the history of the world. It was suppressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 22 December 1614 and the King’s own agents began seizing copies. “According to Chamberlain the suppression came about because it was ‘too sawcie in censuring princes’ (Letters of John Chamberlain, 1.568) … One principal theme of the work was the general wickedness of kings and the severity of God’s judgement upon them” (ODNB). This was soon lifted and the book was reprinted in 1617. This is the earlier of the two editions with the colophon dated 1614 and the errata uncorrected. Further editions were printed in 1621, 1624, 1628, 1666, and 1684, 1687 and throughout the 18th century. Provenance: bookplate pasted on verso of title of Thomas Millington (after 1680-1714) of Gosfield Hall, Gosfield, Essex, son of Thomas Middleton (physician in ordinary to William III and Queen Anne), High Sheriff of Essex 1708-09, MP for Great Bedwyn 1711-14; bookplate of Viscount Strathallan; ink stamp of Daniel Wray, Charterhouse, London. Pforzheimer 820; STC 20637. ESTC S116300; Pforzheimer 820; Sabin 67560.
RALEIGH, Sir Walter
The History of the World
[William Stansby] for Walter Burre, London, 1614
Folio (330 x 235 mm.), full contemporary calf with gilt and blind ruled borders, ornate gilt cornerpieces and central gilt lozenge, rebacked ribbed spine, blind ruled compartments, joints split, a little rubbed. With engraved title by Reynold Elstrack preceded by ‘The Minde of the Front’ leaf which has a repaired tear, 8 double-page engraved maps and plans, with blank 3K4 and errata/colophon leaf at end but lacking final blank, the table at 6V1 cropped at foot with slight loss to final line, some worming mostly to 4A-4M with slight loss, a few other minor marginal tears or defects, pp. [84], 492, 491-651, [1], 776, [64], some light soiling but generally in good condition.
Stock number: 7814
SOLD