Desiderata CuriosaÉContaining, I. The Complete Statesman, Exemplified in the Life and Actions of Sir William Cecil, Lord BurghleyÉ5. Queen Elizabeth's Annual Expence, Civil and MilitaryÉ14. A Description of Burghley House in Stanford; and of all the principal Paintings and other Rarities now to be seen there. With many other Memoirs, Letters, Wills, and EpitaphsÉAdorned with Cuts.

[English History]. Peck, Francis.

Published by London: 1732.

About this Item

Francis Peck (1692-1743) as educated at St. John's College, Cambridge. He was ordained a priest in the Church of England and spent much of his life as rector in Goadby Marwood in Leicestershire. The present work is his most important. It contains a number of unusual vignettes from British history, with copperplate engravings of various buildings and landscapes. It is well known for its major biography of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Queen Elizabeth I's Lord High Treasurer and chief advisor for much of her reign Two volumes in one, tall folio. [4], viii, [xii], 66, 26, 52, 50, 44, 56, [12, index]; [20], 68, 58, 52, 32, 50, 36, 32, 56, 25, [19, index] pp. Engraved frontisportrait in each of the two volumes, plus nine other engraved plates. Title-pages in re and black, with engraved vignettes. Dedication to Lord William Manners with engraved headpiece and historiated initial letter. With lists of subscribers in each volume. Contemporary calf, rebacked and recornered to style, gilt spine with brown morocco label. Covers a bit rubbed and scuffed. Armorial bookplate of physician and antiquary Charles Chauncey (1709-1777), ink signature of scholar and antiquary Joseph Ritson (17452-1803) of Robin Hood fame, with his autograph signature and brief notes relating to the cost and binding of this volume. A very good, attractive copy. First edition of an uncommon book in the first edition. Only 250 copies of each volume were printed. A second edition appeared in 1779.

Seller Inventory # 15912

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Desiderata CuriosaÉContaining, I. The Complete Statesman, Exemplified in the Life and Actions of Sir William Cecil, Lord BurghleyÉ5. Queen Elizabeth's Annual Expence, Civil and MilitaryÉ14. A Description of Burghley House in Stanford; and of all the principal Paintings and other Rarities now to be seen there. With many other Memoirs, Letters, Wills, and EpitaphsÉAdorned with Cuts.
• Publisher: London: 1732.
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition