Sanok, Catherine: New Legends of England: Forms of Community in Late Medieval Saints' Lives. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018. First edition. 8vo., pp. 349. Illustrations to text. Hardback: grey cloth, black-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused, contents pristine but edges and light grey jacket mildly dust-discoloured in places: still a very good copy. Ref: 54296
Sarpi, Julie: Joanna of Flanders: Heroine and Exile. Stroud: Amberley Publishing, 2019. First edition. 8vo., pp.283 + plates. 4 maps to text. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused, a hint only of shelf-dust: a fine copy. Ref: 54472
Selden, John: Titles of Honour. London: Printed by William Stansby for Richard Whitakers [sic], and are to be sold at the Kings Arme 1631. Second edition. Folio in 4s, pp. [xxxvi], 941, [i]. State three, of three: p.354 numbered correctly (misnumbered as 356 in states one and two); p.592 misnumbered 992 and lists items XXI-XXXIX. Title-page in red and black, large woodcut initials, illustrations in the text including coins, crowns and six full-page engravings of ceremonial dress, with final errata leaf. Occasional marks to margins, eg. lines, crosses. Some library inkstamps, small paper repairs to title-page fore-edge, small faint dampstains here and there towards edges, occasional faint spotting, a little toned. Recent heavily-grained brown morocco, raised bands, gilt title to spine, blind-tooled diaper pattern within frame to each board, endpapers and endbands renewed, edges red, very good. Birmingham Law Society round inkstamps, 2 to title-page, 2 to dedication leaf, 2 to p.1 and others scattered throughout (approximately 1 every 30 pages). Work on this second edition (the first having appeared in 1614) was done by Selden (1584?1654) during his imprisonment in the Tower of London from late June 1629 until the summer of 1630, and the period immediately afterwards when he regained access to his books and was allowed to move in and out of the Tower. 'A monument to the wide-ranging mastery of medieval continental and English sources and studies, the weighty second edition of Titles of Honor (1631) drew its evidence widely. As well as providing a model for a true history based upon many primary sources, this edition also sought to establish a solid foundation for a new philosophy of politics that would emulate the revolution in astronomy brought about by 'Copernicus, Tycho, Galileus, Kepler' (sig. ?2r), although Selden's political advice remained more than a little obscured by the details of his analytical narrative. Attempting to chart the origin and development of the titles of monarchy, nobility, and gentility in western Europe from the end of the Roman empire to the present, this new edition dissolved the unitary feudal law interpretation espoused in the first edition into various national, provincial, or local feudal laws. Selden portrayed these jurisdictions as a series of ancient constitutions, each having its own 'state' or 'frame of government' and its own feudal customs. Only the titles of emperor and king received a fully comparative treatment, with those of duke, count, baron, and knight unfolding country by country as rulers carried out their own adaptation of northern European customs to Roman offices. [?]. Indeed, the second edition of Titles of Honor provided sophisticated historical support for Selden's interpretation of the mixed monarchy of England, not least by placing it in a plausible, equally well-supported context of European ancient constitutions. It portrayed the continual calling of parliaments as a necessary part of English governance.' (Christianson, ODNB) STC (2nd ed.) 22178 Ref: 54660show full image..
Shrubsole, William & Denne, Samuel; Fisher, Thomas, ed. The History and Antiquities of Rochester and its environs: To which is added a Description of the Towns, Villages, Gentlemen's Seats, and Ancient Buildings [...]. Rochester: Printed and sold by T. Fisher, 1772. First edition. 8vo. pp. [xiv], 353, [1]. With 1 folding map and 5 plates, few small illustrations. Small clean tear to lower blank margin of one leaf, title and verso of last a bit dusty, last few leaves somewhat foxed. Modern quarter calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, gilt-lettered label to spine. Stamp of Woods, Forests & Lands Revenue to title. First edition of this beautifully illustrated history of Rochester. William Shrubsole (1729?1797) was an English nonconformist minister, author of works on subjects as varied as local history, theology and even the Sheerness dockyards, where he was employed. The present work discusses the history of Rochester from the 11th century, lingering on its most important monuments. It was finished by the antiquary Samuel Denne, with the assistance of Thomas Fisher, printer, bookseller and alderman of Rochester. The initial folding map, with a plan of the city, also marks the ruins of the fire of 1768. ESTC T63426. Ref: 53275show full image..
Skidmore, Chris: Richard III Brother, Protector, King. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2017. First edition. 8vo., pp. xxiii, 432 + plates. Maps and genealogies. Hardback: burgundy cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused, a hint only of shelf-dust: a fine copy. Ref: 54335
Stephens, W. B. (ed.): The Victoria History of the County of Warwick. Volume VII: The City of Birmingham. London: Oxford University Press for the Institute of Historical Research, 1965. First edition, second impression. 4to. Fully illustrated. Hardback: red cloth, gilt. Edges uncut. Dust-jacket, price-clipped. Light shelf-wear, a little fraying along jacket edges, but still very good. First published 1964. Ref: 54099
Stevenson, William Henry (ed.): Asser's Life Of King Alfred Together With The Annals Of Saint Neots Erroneously Ascribed To Asser. Edited by William Henry Stevenson with an Introductory article by Dorothy Whitelock. Oxford University Press (Sandpiper reprint). 1998. 8vo. pp.386. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused: as new. OUP edition first published 1959. Ref: 54932
Stone, Lawrence: Uncertain Unions: Marriage in England 1660-1753. Oxford University Press, 1992. First edition. 8vo., pp. xiii, 281 + plates. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine, fine. Dust-jacket, very good. Ref: 53574
Thomas, Melita: The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and his daughter Mary. Stroud, Glos.: Amberley Publishing, 2017. First edition. 8vo., pp. 320 + colour plates. Hardback: black cloth, gilt-lettered to spine. Dust-jacket. Unused, a hint only of shelf-wear: a fine copy. Ref: 53859
(Thompson, Thomas:) Ocellus Promontorium; or, Short Observations on the Ancient State of Holderness. [and] Historic Facts Relative to the Sea Port and Market Town of Ravenspurne, in Holderness. Hull: printed by Thomas Topping, Lowgate, 1822; 1821. 2 vols., 8vo., pp. 117, [I] + folding map frontispiece and 1 further plate (Outhorne); [iii], 122-270 + engraved frontispiece and 2 further plates (the monument of Sir Martine de la Mare, and coins). Continuous pagination. Occasional pencil underlings and marginal marks. Sporadic toning, light foxing and mottling with some leaves more affected. Recent quarter calf (tan, sprinkled), abbreviated titles to spines, marbled boards, original paper wrappers bound in, edges uncut, very good. Original blue sugar paper wrapper with MS titles to each and to Ocellus: 'To Arthur Clifford Esq with the Author's most respectful compliments'. To front paste-down of each volume, modern bookplate of Stephen Bryant. Ravenspurne is a town lost to coastal erosion, one of over 30 along the Holderness Coast which have vanished into the north Sea since the 19th century. It sat close to the end of the peninsula known as Spurn Head, near Ravenser Odd. Ref: 54599show full image..
