Details
TRACTS -- A collection of about 675 political, legal, economic, religious, and literary pamphlets, proclamations, broadsides and news sheets, bound in 36 volumes (most London, 1581-1719). .
Most tracts 4° (ca. 200 x 150mm). Contemporary calf, morocco labels, many volumes with contemporary or early manuscript lists of contents; many tracts with contemporary ownership inscriptions or annotations. (Some tracts imperfect; some joints and spines worn, some discreet repairs, labels worn or damaged, but generally in good condition.)
AN IMPORTANT AND EXTENSIVE EARLY COLLECTION, CONTAINING MANY RARITIES. The collection is particularly rich in material from the Civil War and Commonwealth, as well as from the period leading up to and following the Revolution of 1688. Among the early pieces are: William Stafford, A compendious or briefe examination of certayne ordinary complaints of divers of our country men. 1581 (STC 23133.5); A. Meierus (tr. P. Jones), Certaine briefe and speciall Instructions for Gentlemen, merchants...&c. Employed in services abrode. 1589 (STC 17784; with contemporary ownership inscription of Estevan Theobault); The Assize of Bread. 1592 (STC 870: 3 copies only); John Wheeler, A Treatise of Commerce. 1601 (STC 25330/1); Foure statutes [for relief of the poor, of soldiers and mariners, of those infected by the plague, and for the punishment of 'rogues, vagabonds and sturdy beggars']...together with a proclamation, a decree of the Starre-chamber, and certaine orders particularly concerning the citie of London. 1609 (STC 9341; with physicians' advice, orders concerning infected houses - including marking with a red cross and the words 'Lord have mercy upon us' - and the banning of plays and other 'idle assemblies'); Ralph Treswell, A publication of surveying and measuring of mannors, lands and lordships: and arts mathematicall, geometrie, astrologie, geomancie, and the art of dialling...Also, a declaration of concave and perspective glasses...[and]The art of perfuming. 1616 (STC 24267.5: one copy); The kings majesties declaration to his subjects, concerning lawfull sports to be used. 1618 (STC 9238.9; the 'Book of Sports'). There are works by Nicholas and Francis Bacon and Sir Edward Coke, as well as many by John Pym and William Prynne. There are a number of pieces relative to Strafford's impeachment, as well as a large number chronicling the descent into war between King and Parliament and the repeated attempts to reach a settlement. There are accounts of fighting at Torrington (with two versions of the same events) and Maidstone, and newsbooks (numbers of Mercurius Britanicus from 1644 and 1645, and of Mercurius Pragmaticus from 1647, the latter mocking 'King Cromwell'). From the 1650s there are (among others) pieces relative to Lilburne and Nayler, as well as the three parts of the Catholic [John Austin]'s The Christian Moderator: or, Persecution for Religion Condemned. 1651 (Wing A-4243, 4246 and 4248 ), and Thomas Rosewell, An answer unto thirty queries. 1656 (Wing R-1941: 2 copies). From the Restoration period there are (among others) Hugh Edmonds, The censors censured 1661 (Wing E-178aA: 1 copy) and Edward Bagshaw, A letter to a person of quality 1663 (Wing B-414C: 1 copy), while from the next decade comes Shaftesbury's A letter from a person of quality to his friend in the country. 1675 (Wing S-2897, full of praise of Shaftesbury) There are numerous pieces on the Popish Plot, the Glorious Revolution, the question of allegiance, and that of a standing army (including two pieces by DANIEL DEFOE; there are fifteen others by him, including his Letter to a Dissenter from his friend at the Hague 1688 (Wing D-836A), The Succession to the Crown of England, Considered. 1701, An Essay on the History of Parties and Persecution in Britain.
1711, and Remarks on the Speeches of William Paul Clerk, and John Hall of Otterburn, Esq; Executed at Tyburn for Rebellion. 1716). There are many pieces by Henry Stubbs, Thomas Long and Roger L'Estrange, as well as two pieces by Andrew Marvell, Mr. Smirke: or, the Divine in Mode 1676 (Wing M-873) and A Short Historical Essay touching General Councils, Creeds, and Impositions in matters of Religion 1680 (Wing M-888). From the later part of the century are Halifax's The Character of a Trimmer 1688 (Wing H-296), Hubert Languet, Vindiciae contra Tyrannos: A Defence of Liberty against Tyrants. 1689 (Wing L-416), Abednego Seller, The history of passive obedience Amsterdam, 1689 (Wing S-2453), Some Observations upon the Bank of England 1695 (Wing S-4539) and Letter...shewing that a Restraint of the Press is inconsistent with the Protestant Religion, and dangerous to the Liberties of the Nation 1698 (Wing L-1680), as well as two pieces NOT IN WING: Philo-Veritas [pseud.], The Second Part of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government Cologne, 1682, and Miscellanies over Claret. Or, the Friends to the Tavern the Best Friends to Poetry, Being a Collection of Poems...Numb. II 1697. Two pieces relating to America should be noted: John Cotton, An abstract or [sic]the lawes of New England 1641 (Wing C-6408), and Sir William Berkeley, A discourse and view of Virginia 1663 (Wing B-1975). The most interesting provenance is probably that of Henry Parker, Observations upon some of his Majesties late Answers and Expresses 1642 (Wing P-412), with the inscription at the back: 'Johann: Evelyni Liber Lond: M:T: M.DCXLII', presumably bought by John Evelyn while at the Middle Temple.
Most of the 18th-century material is in 156 tracts in the last 9 volumes. As well as Defoe, there are pieces by Charles Davenant, John Toland (his Nazarenus, 1718), the Arian William Whiston (An Humble and Serious Address to the Princes and States of Europe, for the Admission, or at least open Toleration of the Christian Religion in their Dominions 1716), and Gerard Noodt, The Power of the Sovereign, and the Right of Liberty of Conscience (1708, with preface and notes by Barbeyrac). There are numerous pieces on the British and Spanish successions, the Pretender, Sacheverell and the Non-Jurors, Dissenters, Whigs and Tories, as well as poetry by Rochester and Roscommon, and even a tract on gout (John Marten, The Attila of the Gout 1713).
A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE SUCH A RICH AND WIDE-RANGING COLLECTION OF EARLY TRACTS.
A full list is available on request. Sold not subject to return. (27)
Most tracts 4° (ca. 200 x 150mm). Contemporary calf, morocco labels, many volumes with contemporary or early manuscript lists of contents; many tracts with contemporary ownership inscriptions or annotations. (Some tracts imperfect; some joints and spines worn, some discreet repairs, labels worn or damaged, but generally in good condition.)
AN IMPORTANT AND EXTENSIVE EARLY COLLECTION, CONTAINING MANY RARITIES. The collection is particularly rich in material from the Civil War and Commonwealth, as well as from the period leading up to and following the Revolution of 1688. Among the early pieces are: William Stafford, A compendious or briefe examination of certayne ordinary complaints of divers of our country men. 1581 (STC 23133.5); A. Meierus (tr. P. Jones), Certaine briefe and speciall Instructions for Gentlemen, merchants...&c. Employed in services abrode. 1589 (STC 17784; with contemporary ownership inscription of Estevan Theobault); The Assize of Bread. 1592 (STC 870: 3 copies only); John Wheeler, A Treatise of Commerce. 1601 (STC 25330/1); Foure statutes [for relief of the poor, of soldiers and mariners, of those infected by the plague, and for the punishment of 'rogues, vagabonds and sturdy beggars']...together with a proclamation, a decree of the Starre-chamber, and certaine orders particularly concerning the citie of London. 1609 (STC 9341; with physicians' advice, orders concerning infected houses - including marking with a red cross and the words 'Lord have mercy upon us' - and the banning of plays and other 'idle assemblies'); Ralph Treswell, A publication of surveying and measuring of mannors, lands and lordships: and arts mathematicall, geometrie, astrologie, geomancie, and the art of dialling...Also, a declaration of concave and perspective glasses...[and]The art of perfuming. 1616 (STC 24267.5: one copy); The kings majesties declaration to his subjects, concerning lawfull sports to be used. 1618 (STC 9238.9; the 'Book of Sports'). There are works by Nicholas and Francis Bacon and Sir Edward Coke, as well as many by John Pym and William Prynne. There are a number of pieces relative to Strafford's impeachment, as well as a large number chronicling the descent into war between King and Parliament and the repeated attempts to reach a settlement. There are accounts of fighting at Torrington (with two versions of the same events) and Maidstone, and newsbooks (numbers of Mercurius Britanicus from 1644 and 1645, and of Mercurius Pragmaticus from 1647, the latter mocking 'King Cromwell'). From the 1650s there are (among others) pieces relative to Lilburne and Nayler, as well as the three parts of the Catholic [John Austin]'s The Christian Moderator: or, Persecution for Religion Condemned. 1651 (Wing A-4243, 4246 and 4248 ), and Thomas Rosewell, An answer unto thirty queries. 1656 (Wing R-1941: 2 copies). From the Restoration period there are (among others) Hugh Edmonds, The censors censured 1661 (Wing E-178aA: 1 copy) and Edward Bagshaw, A letter to a person of quality 1663 (Wing B-414C: 1 copy), while from the next decade comes Shaftesbury's A letter from a person of quality to his friend in the country. 1675 (Wing S-2897, full of praise of Shaftesbury) There are numerous pieces on the Popish Plot, the Glorious Revolution, the question of allegiance, and that of a standing army (including two pieces by DANIEL DEFOE; there are fifteen others by him, including his Letter to a Dissenter from his friend at the Hague 1688 (Wing D-836A), The Succession to the Crown of England, Considered. 1701, An Essay on the History of Parties and Persecution in Britain.
1711, and Remarks on the Speeches of William Paul Clerk, and John Hall of Otterburn, Esq; Executed at Tyburn for Rebellion. 1716). There are many pieces by Henry Stubbs, Thomas Long and Roger L'Estrange, as well as two pieces by Andrew Marvell, Mr. Smirke: or, the Divine in Mode 1676 (Wing M-873) and A Short Historical Essay touching General Councils, Creeds, and Impositions in matters of Religion 1680 (Wing M-888). From the later part of the century are Halifax's The Character of a Trimmer 1688 (Wing H-296), Hubert Languet, Vindiciae contra Tyrannos: A Defence of Liberty against Tyrants. 1689 (Wing L-416), Abednego Seller, The history of passive obedience Amsterdam, 1689 (Wing S-2453), Some Observations upon the Bank of England 1695 (Wing S-4539) and Letter...shewing that a Restraint of the Press is inconsistent with the Protestant Religion, and dangerous to the Liberties of the Nation 1698 (Wing L-1680), as well as two pieces NOT IN WING: Philo-Veritas [pseud.], The Second Part of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government Cologne, 1682, and Miscellanies over Claret. Or, the Friends to the Tavern the Best Friends to Poetry, Being a Collection of Poems...Numb. II 1697. Two pieces relating to America should be noted: John Cotton, An abstract or [sic]the lawes of New England 1641 (Wing C-6408), and Sir William Berkeley, A discourse and view of Virginia 1663 (Wing B-1975). The most interesting provenance is probably that of Henry Parker, Observations upon some of his Majesties late Answers and Expresses 1642 (Wing P-412), with the inscription at the back: 'Johann: Evelyni Liber Lond: M:T: M.DCXLII', presumably bought by John Evelyn while at the Middle Temple.
Most of the 18th-century material is in 156 tracts in the last 9 volumes. As well as Defoe, there are pieces by Charles Davenant, John Toland (his Nazarenus, 1718), the Arian William Whiston (An Humble and Serious Address to the Princes and States of Europe, for the Admission, or at least open Toleration of the Christian Religion in their Dominions 1716), and Gerard Noodt, The Power of the Sovereign, and the Right of Liberty of Conscience (1708, with preface and notes by Barbeyrac). There are numerous pieces on the British and Spanish successions, the Pretender, Sacheverell and the Non-Jurors, Dissenters, Whigs and Tories, as well as poetry by Rochester and Roscommon, and even a tract on gout (John Marten, The Attila of the Gout 1713).
A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE SUCH A RICH AND WIDE-RANGING COLLECTION OF EARLY TRACTS.
A full list is available on request. Sold not subject to return. (27)
Sale room notice
Sir William Berkeley, A discourse and view of Virginia (1663) lacks a titlepage.
