Author: Weever, John:

Title: Ancient Funerall Monuments Within the United Monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the Islands Adjacent, with the dissolued monasteries therein contained: their founders, and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred. As also the death and buriall of certain of the bloud royall; the nobilitie and gentrie of these kingdomes entombed in forrain

Publication: London: Thomas Harper, 1631.

Description: First edition. Folio, pp.[xvi], 871, [xv] + engraved frontispiece and additional title-page. Woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. Some full page illustrations. Head edge of 4D6 a bit tattered with short closed tear, very occasional spots but remarkably clean. 19th-century speckled tan calf, raised bands gilt ruled, black morocco title label, gilt borders, edges sprinkled red. Spine scratched, joints creased, corners a bit frayed, endpapers renewed, very good. Inscription in a very small old hand to title-page, possibly mentioning the name Hillier and making reference to Sir Philip Sydenham, 3rd Baronet. In the margins, a few tiny ms sketches of buildings.

Despite the title, only the dioceses of Canterbury, Rochester, London, and Norwich are covered here; no further volumes were produced as Weever died the year after publication. Two manuscript notebooks containing an early draft plus further unpublished material survive and are housed at the Society of Antiquaries (manuscripts 127 &128). Both the published volume and the notebooks contain many inscriptions which have since been lost, making them invaluable to modern historians.

Bibliography: ESTC S118104

Reference Number: [54842]

Price: £900

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