True Mannor Forme Proceeding Funerall (2 results)

First edition. [4], 24pp [i.e. 23pp], [1]. With an engraved frontispiece portrait (by William Marshall, A1v), one inserted folding woodcut of the hearse, surrounded with flags, and another full-page woodcut (D1v), in addition to numerous woodcut vignettes of flags. Occasional shaved catch-word/printer's register/pagination. ESTC R201190. Wing G5. [Bound with:] [Drop-head title:] An Elegie upon the most lamented death of the Right Honourable and truly valiant, Robert Earle of Essex, &c. [s.i.]. [s.n., s.d.]. [4]pp. 'Finis' shaved to verso of final leaf. ESTC R201191. Wing G3. Quarto. Two works bound together. Finely bound in nineteenth-century hard-grained gilt-tooled blue morocco, by Charles Lewis for William Beckford. Marbled endpapers, A.E.G. Slightly rubbed, corners a trifle bumped. The Hamilton Palace copy, with auction catalogue clipping tipped to FEP, and manuscript note 'Beckford Sale 1883 lot 966' to verso of FFEP. With the bookplate of Paul and Marianne Gourary to FEP, beneath the armorial bookplate of Archibald Philip Primrose, Earl Rosebery (1847-1929) after he was created KG. William Beckford's copy, finely bound by Charles Lewis, of the contemporary account of the elaborate proceedings of the state funeral of the influential Parliamentarian and first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Roundhead army, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1591-1646). The provenance of this work is fitting given the compulsive collector's obsessions with funerals, burial and graves. A leading figure in the political events which gave rise to the English Civil War, even before his appointment of Captain General and taking command of the first significant action of the Parliamentary army at Edgehill, Essex's control over the Roundhead army ended on the passing of the Self-Denying Ordinance in April 1645, and he died after hunting in Windsor Forest in September 1646. His funeral, according to John Morrill in the Oxford DNB 'the greatest state funeral of any non-royal personage for many decades', took place on 22 October . Parliament had provided £5,000 for the occasion, which was overseen by the College of Arms, and more than 3,000 mourners witnessed the procession from Essex House to Westminster Abbey. As this work explains in detail, 'five Regiments of the Trained Bands were placed on both sides the way to make a guard', the cortege included large numbers of further regiments, in set order, starting with 'The two Regiments that went forth with his Excellency in the Gloucester Expedition, and were with him in the fight at Newberry. The second work in this volume is an anonymous - but rather well executed - funeral Elegie, in rhyming couplets, which celebrates his virtues: 'Devereux, the Nobles Orbe, the Gentries Starr, The Cities Altar, the wong'd Countries Barr: Devereux, the Just, Devereux, the Stout, the Wide The maimed Souldiers Limbes, the Blind mans Eyes. The Armies faithfull Alm'ner; or what's more Devereux, the very Devereux of their Poore' but also imagines the tributes paid to the Earl 'in Elysium' even by the 'Cavalier Ghosts' for whose death his army was responsible. Sold as lot no. 966 in the fourth 'and final' sale of the 1883 'Hamilton Palace' portions of Beckford's library, this copy was purchased by Bain for £2 12s.

hardcover. Condition: very good(+). First. Illustrated with 6 woodcut armorial banners and an ornate full page woodcut of him lying in state. LACKS 2 plates, a portrait of Essex and a folding woodcut. 2 works in 1 volume. (ii) + 24pp. + (iv). Decorative title page with a small woodcut of a crown, large woodcut headpiece and floral initial. Square slim 12mo, decorative blind stamped brown morocco. London: Henry Seale, 1646. First Edition. Scarce. Very good (+). A scarce work describing the ceremonial procession in detail, the order of the funeral procession of Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, with lists of the officers and regiments along with descriptions and illustrations of the banners and flags.