Author: Le Neve, John:

Title: Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae: Or, an Essay towards deducing a Regular Succession of all the Principal Dignitaries in each Cathedral, College Church or Chapel (now in being) in those Parts of Great Britain called England and Wales, from the first Erection thereof, to this Present

Publication: [London] in the Savoy, printed by J. Nutt: and Sold by Henry Clements [...] Charles King [...] and E 1716.

Description: First edition. Folio, pp. xii, 535, [v]. A little toned, some light foxing, a few wax spots, title-page a little grubby. Contemporary Cambridge panelled calf boards with simple modern reback in a slightly lighter shade, raised bands, burgundy and black morocco spine labels, endpapers renewed. Scuffed, a few light scrapes, corners bumped, very good. Library ink stamp to both sides of title-page, and to a few other pages seemingly at random. At head of title-page a crossed-through ownership inscription, just about legible as Thomas Beckwith of York, with a date possibly of 1768. Quite likely to be the painter, genealogist and antiquary Thomas Beckwith, born 1731 in Rothwell, West Yorkshire and died in 1786 in York. Some annotations and underlining in old hands (ink and pencil), small page of ms notes loosely inserted at p.115.

First edition of this important biographical list of ecclesiastical dignitaries. The copy contains manuscript additions (including new names) in the hand of an eighteenth-century antiquarian. The next printing was in 1854. John Le Neve (1679-1741), of Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, also took holy orders, and was imprisoned for insolvency (CDNB). This was his principal work.

Bibliography: Graesse IV 160. Lowndes 1841: "According to Browne WIllis, Le Neve has the name and credit of this work, yet Bishop Kennet was the real author of it".

Reference Number: [55057]

Price: £400

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