Dale, Samuel: The History and Antiquities of Harwich and Dovercourt. Topographical, Dynastical and Political. London: printed for C. Davis, 1730. First edition. 4to. pp. [4], [xxiv], 464 + 14 plates (some folding). Small ink mark to title touching two words, light waterstaining at upper and lower gutter, a bit heavier to first and last couple of gatherings, edges dusty, occasional mainly marginal foxing, last two leaves a bit spotted. Contemporary polished English calf, sympathetic modern reback, spine gilt-lettered, boards and extremities rubbed. Book plate of Henry Miller dated 1885; autographs Elizth G. Mason, H.P. Bowen 1861 and Buntwood(?) to ffep; partly erased library stamp with English note on withdrawal and sale in 1962 to verso of title and p.101; later pencilled marginalia to a few leaves. The scarce first edition of this beautifully illustrated history of the antiquities and natural landscape of Harwich and Dovercourt, in Essex. Based on the unpublished historical work of the antiquary and state official Silas Taylor (1624-78), it was enlarged and revised with a very long appendix by the physician Samuel Dale (1659??1739), who focused on the natural history of the district. Thanks to his experience as apothecary, he had a thorough knowledge of plants and his annotations elaborate on Taylor's mentions of local landscape - for instance, he discussed plants that inhabited a local cliff, adding references to other botanic works. Additional sections are devoted to fish and fossils, both - like the notes on plants - superbly illustrated with engraved specimens. ESTC T134050; Brunet 13544; Haller, Bib. botanica, 14. ESTC locates only 1 copy in the US. Ref: 51728show full image..
Dart, J(ohn): (Cole, J., illus.:) The History and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of Canterbury and the Once-Adjoining Monastery: Containing, An Account of its First Establishment [...] A Survey of the Present Church and Cloysters [...] The Lives of the Archbishops [...] An Appendix of Ancient Charters and Writings [...]. London: printed, and sold by J. Cole, J. Hoddle, J. Smith, A. Johnson, 1726. Folio, pp. [iv], IX, [i], 204, lvi, including list of subscribers in the form of nine pages showing their coats of arms (page ix having 26) + 4 double-page plates and 37 further plates. Title page in red and black, woodcut initials and head- & tail-pieces, additional engraved illustrations in the text. Occasional light smudges, some sooty marks to p.117. Contemporary calf neatly rebacked, gilt spine label, date to tail of spine, plain gilt borders, corners repaired, edges sprinkled red, endpapers replaced. Very good. John Dart (d. 1730) suffered a somewhat lacklustre reputation in his endeavours as both an attorney and an antiquary. His main antiquarian works comprised Westmonasterium, or, The history and antiquities of the abbey church of St. Peter's, Westminster (published in two volumes first in 1723 and then posthumously in 1742) and this work on Canterbury Cathedral. The two received as little acclaim as his literary endeavours, as both were considered "more notable for the quality of their engravings [...] than their antiquarian content". Richard Gough considered the former "a pompous, but very inaccurate work" (Gough, 1.763), and William Gostling, in his A Walk in and about the City of Canterbury (1774), wrote of the latter that "Mr Dart came to see our cathedral, and did see it, most certainly; but it is one thing to see and another to observe" (Gostling, 164).' (ODNB) ESTC T65420; Upcott p.391. Ref: 54207show full image..
Davila, Henrico Caterino: (Aylesbury, W. and Cotterell, C., trans.:) The Historie of the Civill Warres of France [...] translated out of the original. London, printed by R. Raworth [...] to be sold by W. Lee, D. Pakeman, and G. Bedell [...] 1647 [1648]. 2 parts as 1. Folio, pp. [viii], 1478, with printing privilege dated 7th January 1646 facing title-page. Large engraved monogram of the translators' initials on title-page, with dedication leaves, second part title dated 1648, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces throughout text, generous margins. Without errata leaf. Occasional spots and smudges, a few cloudy wax marks affecting but not obscuring text, Z3 top corner lost and 3L4 bottom edge lost but neither affecting text, closed tear to bottom margin leaf 3N3, tiny wormhole to fore-edge margins p.851 onward. Contemporary very dark brown calf, gilt spine, tan label, marbled edges. Neat repairs to head and tail of spine, joints worn, a bit rubbed but very good. Armorial bookplate (signed AW 1828) of Sir Montague Cholmeley, Bart. to front pastedown. Given the date, this is most likely Sir Montague Cholmeley, 2nd baronet (1802-1874), who followed his father as MP for Grantham. First English translation of a history of the sixteenth century French civil wars, ending with the peace treaty of 1598. Written at the behest of Charles I, it was a topical book, printed as the king lost his own civil war, and it carries its own evidence of that political turmoil, with the translators, in a dedication to Charles I dated shortly before the King was executed, wishing that "your majesty [...] soon re-establish as happy a Peace in all Your Kingdoms, as the great Henry your queen's heroick father did in France [...]". One, William Aylesbury, who was in the service of Charles and was once tutor to his favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, obtained a fourteen year privilege to exclusively publish the book, from parliament rather than the king, but from the royalist House of Lords rather than from the 'parliamentarian' House of Commons. ESTC R21290; Wing D413 Ref: 54185show full image..
De B?ze, Th?odore; Muret, Marc-Antoine; Secundus, Joannes: Poemata; Juvenilia; Juvenilia. Lugduni Batavorum [Leiden] [i.e. Paris]: s.n. [Barbou] 1757. Small 8vo. (155 x 90mm), pp. [ii], iv, 124 + portrait frontispiece; x, 11-106 + portrait frontispiece; iv, [i], 4-156. No loss to the 3rd work, just unusual pagination, and no portrait called for. Woodcut printer's device (formerly used by the Elzevirs) to each title-page. Occasional very light foxing. Contemporary brown mottled calf, spine gilt with dark red morocco label, gilt borders and dentelles, a.e.g., marbled endpapers, pink ribbon bookmark bound in. Spine a little creased, very light wear to endcaps and corners, a very good, attractive copy. Three highlights of 16th-century Neo-Latin poetry, bound together as usual. All three title-pages bear a false imprint, 'Lugduni Batavorum'; according to Brunet this edition was actually published in Paris by Barbou, and it does indeed have the appearance of a Barbou book. The first work comprises the poems of the Calvinist theologian Th?odore de B?ze (or Theodorus Beza, 1519-1605,) originally published in Paris in 1548. He is most known for his editions of the New Testament: a Latin translation and a Greek critical edition. The Juvenilia of Marc-Antoine Muret (or Marcus Antonius Muretus, 1526-1585) was first published in 1552. A Classical scholar, as well as writing poetry he lectured in schools in France and Italy and was involved with the rediscovery and interpretation of ancient texts. The final work is that of Janus Secundus Nicolai Hagiensis (1511-1536). The first publication of his works was posthumous, Secundus having died very young, and appeared in Utrecht in 1541. It was edited by his brother Marius. Secundus is primarily remembered for his love poems, often known as the 'kissing poet' for his variations on two kiss poems by Catullus. Brunet I, 239 Ref: 52284show full image..
Deering, Charles: Nottinghamia Vetus et Nova or an Historical Account of the Ancient and Present State of the Town of Nottingham. Gather's from the Remains of Antiquity and Collected from Authentic Manuscripts and Ancient as well as Modern Historians [?]. Nottingham: printed by and for George Ayscough, & Thomas Willington, 1751. 4to., pp.vi, [ii], 13, [i], 370 + 25 plates, 7 of which are folding including the frontispiece. Woodcut initials. Occasional scattered spotting, pp.225-241 foxed, 2 small tears to the margins of pp.101-102, some folding plates trimmed a little close. Contemporary brown calf, gilt spine with red morocco title label. Slight vertical crackling to spine but sound, joints repaired, a few stains and some wear around the edges, endpaper edges toned, still very good. Armorial bookplate of 'Finborough Library' to front pastedown. Posthumously-published work assembled by the botanist Charles Deering (1695??1749) from the materials collected by John Plumptre for a proposed history of Nottingham. ESTC T145699; Upcott 1057. Ref: 54175show full image..
[Domesday Book] Kelham, Robert: Domesday Book Illustrated: containing an account of that antient record; as also, of the tenants in capite or serjanty therein mentioned : and a translation of the difficult passages, with occasional notes, an explanation of the terms, abbreviations, and names of foreign abbie London: Printed by John Nichols For Edward Brooke, 1788. 8vo., pp. viii 399 [i]. With half-title and errata leaf. Text in English with some Latin. Faint blotchy foxing throughout, some leaves a little toned. Contemporary tan calf, spine gilt ruled with raised bands and red morocco title label neatly rebacked with original spine retained. Plain gilt borders, edges sprinkled brown. Spine a bit creased, small stain (ink?) To upper board, corners a bit rubbed, endpapers toned, very good. Armorial bookplate of Ramsey Abbey, recent bookplate of Josceline Grove and two booksellers' tipped-in catalogue entries to front endpapers. This companion to the Domesday Book was compiled by the antiquary Robert Kelham (1717-1808). Kelham also produced a Norman dictionary. ESTC T96453; Upcott p.xvi Ref: 54572show full image..
[Domesday Book] [Farley, Abraham (ed.)]: [Domesday Book, Seu liber censualis Willelmi Primi regis Angli?, inter archivos regni in domo capitulari Westmonasterii asservatus. [London]: [Record Commisioners], [1783.] EDITIO PRINCEPS. 2 vols. Folio. ff. 382; pp. 450. Without titles, as issued. Vol. I, first 4 leaves a little creased, light toning, very faint foxing to some leaves, occasional light smudgy marks; vol. II, occasional tiny spots and smudges but generally brighter inside than vol. I. Contemporary reddish-brown diced russia, neatly rebacked with original spines retained. Spines gilt with green morocco title and volume labels, gilt borders, marbled endpapers. Vol. I spine a bit crackled, ruined, a few small marks, corners worn and repaired; vol. II, head cap split horiztonally with both it and the endband coming loose, a little rubbed, corners repaired but bumped, still very good overall. Recent bookplate of Josceline Grove to ffep verso, each volume. Three booksellers' catalogue descriptions tipped onto ffep verso, vol. I. The significance of Domesday Book was perceived at an early stage by scholars such as Selden, who printed extracts at the end of his edition of Eadmer in 1623. Domesday Book itself was held under lock and key and could only be consulted for a fee, with an additional charge of fourpence for each line transcribed. Without a complete printed edition scholar's regard for Domesday was combined with an ignorance of its general contents, until 1783 when this edition was printed at the behest of a Royal Comission. It was printed in record type, designed for the occasion by J. Nicholls and cut by J. Jackson (former apprentice of William Caslon the elder), and later destroyed in the Westminster fire of 1834. Douglas, in his work English Scholars 1660-1730, expresses the view that Farley's achievement has been 'shamefully neglected', and that 'he produced one of the most accurate and reliable transcripts in the history of English scholarship'. Title-pages to theses volumes were supplied by the Record Commission in 1816, and two subsequent volumes (comprising additions and index) were provided in 1811 and 1816. ESTC 097297; Upcott p.xiii Ref: 54574show full image..
[Drainage] The Laws of Sewers; or the Office and Authority of Commissioners of Sewers. Containing, I. Their Power of Enquiry into Annoyances and Defects of Repairs of Sea-Banks and Walls, publick Streams and Rivers, Ditches and Marsh-Grounds. II. The Authority of the Commissioners [London] In the Savoy: Printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (Assigns of Edw. Sayer, Esq.) for 1726. First edition. 8vo. [8], 199pp., [1]. Ink splash to F5-F8, small paper flaw to lower outer blank corner of N and outer edge of B, minor tear with no loss to upper blank margin of N8, occasional very slight marginal spotting. Contemporary polished calf, double blind ruled, gilt-lettered morocco label to spine. Rebacked. First edition of the first comprehensive reference work on the English laws on sewers, encompassing sea banks, public streams and rivers, ditches and marsh grounds, and the authority of the Commissioners of Sewers as established by the Commissions of Sewers Act 1708. With a final section ( 64pp.) on ordinances relating to Romney Marsh and others marshes and fens. ESTC T130363; Goldsmiths 6437. Ref: 53089show full image..
Drexel, Jeremias: Orbis Pha?thon hoc est de uniuersis vitiis lingu? pars prima (altera). Monachii [Munich]: Formis Cornelii Leysserii Electoralis Typographi, 1630. 24mo., pp. [xxx], 544, [ii]. Engraved title-page, illustrations in the text, final leaf blank. Occasional light offsetting from illustrations, a little light foxing, a few tiny ink spots, some closed tears neatly repaired, old tape marks to pp.185-6. Contemporary vellum, inked title to spine, blind-tooled boards. Vellum a bit greyed, edges of text block darkened, very good. To front paste-down, bookplate with blue printed border and indecipherable inscription. Part one (the second following in 1636) of this small-format dictionary of vices and sins, with engravings by Philippe Sadeler. Drexel's (1581-1638) works virtue, eternal truth and recognition of the divine were popular and much-read in his lifetime. Aware of the power of visual symbols to convey his teachings, it is not uncommon for his books to be heavily illustrated. COPAC finds copies only in the British Library and the Bodleian. Ref: 54167show full image..
Dryden, John: Original Poems. Glasgow: Printed and sold by Rob. & And. Foulis, 1756. 2 vols. 8vo., pp.[vii], 237, [iii]; vii, [i], 240. Vol. I with half-title, each section with divisional title-page. Some codes in various hands to each paste-down. Vol. II with some faint foxing, tiny holes where the page number should be to I8, O8 and P8. Contemporary tan calf, spines gilt, labels lost leaving on impression of titles, edges sprinkled red. Spines dry and rubbed, vol. I head cap a little worn, very good. Ownership inscription of John Hamilton in an old hand to title-page of each volume. Vol. I contains: Verses in Praise of Mr Dryden; Poems on Several Occasions. Vol. II contains: Poems on Several Occasions; Epistles; Prologues and Epilogues; Elegies and Epitaphs; Songs. ESTC T124934; Gaskell 312. Ref: 54579show full image..
