Sir Walter Ralegh Knight (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good indeed. Reprint. The poem, 'The Mind of the Front' is present and precedes the frontis and title page, which are followed by the Preface xxxii, and the Contents 24pp. // Then follows 'The Life of the Valiant and Noble Sir Walter Raleigh, Knight. With his Tryal at Winchester'; printed for George Dawes et al, Third Edition, 1687, and consisting of the portrait frontis, the title page, and the 41pp of text. // These are followed by the 813pp of the main work; [2]pp 'To the Reader'; [26]pp Chronological Table; and [16]pp Alphabetical Table of Contents. This volume, mighty as it is, written while Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower of London, 'using a wide array of sources in six languages' (Wikipedia), and first published in 1614, takes us up only to the Roman era: it was conceived as being but the 'First Part' - another two projected volumes were never written. // Included in the main work are 2 genealogical diagrams, plus 6 double-page maps, and 2 double-page battle plans. The contents are in very good order: after a little light soiling to the pages preceding the Preface, and a lightly pencilled early 19thC ownership note to the back of the frontis, text and plates are fresh and bright thoughout, pages slightly cockled, with 1cm singe spots at perhaps half a dozen openings: no foxing or tanning or damage to pages. Not entirely perfect, though: there is a severe and ancient brown ink stain at the opening p.10/11, principally affecting the inner margin, rendering some of p.10 hard to decipher, and with some slight staining to the adjacent openings pp8/9 and pp12/13. And that's about it. // Folio, c.37x23.5cms, in a new geometrically-decorated half binding of brown calf, using the original firm but very scuffed and patinised marbled boards, refurbished, and with the original spine label laid down. A splendid and fully functioning copy. [EXTRA Heavy Item].