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4to, pp [16], 259, [1], title page within typographical border, bound in contemporary calf, sometime rebacked with an earlier red label attached, the lower upper corner neatly restord, title page trimmed and laid down with lower portion, including date and publisher, lacking, made up in old pen facsimile, else internally slightly browned and shaken but quite sound, a reasonable copy allowing for a damaged title page, FIRST EDITION, one of three issues which cannot be distinguished with imprint and date lacking; the first issue is dated 1650, the second 1651, the third 1652 [ this copy bears '1652' in manuscipt], but all three title pages are of the same setting so in this case cannot be distinguished. This is, nevertheless, an interesting and rare conduct book of the period, somewhat along the lines of Raleigh or King James in providing moral guidance to a son, in this case William Herbert [1626-1696]. This, however, is a much fuller and more comprehensive moral treatise, full of anecdotes and stories upholding Christian values or demonstratiing moral warning. Sir Percy was a prominent Roman Catholic and a royalist supporter of Charles I, all of which was carefully suppressed in this Commonwealth period publication, which relied up on generality and example to get its message accross. A remarkable, if largely forgotten, treatise of the period, dedicated to a son recently recovered from a life-threatening illness 'Truly Will.you cannot but know how much your mother and myself have strived in your behalfe, to the utmost of our powers: so it is impossible.you can finde more confiding persons than ourselves.'. Seller Inventory # 29672
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