Details
CROMWELL, Oliver (1599-1658) -- John SELDEN (1584-1654). Of the Dominion, Or, Ownership of the Sea. Translation by Marchamont Nedham. London: William Du-Gard, 1652.
2 parts in 1 volume, 2° (277 x 178mm). Titles printed in red and black, the first with an engraved vignette. 7 woodcut or engraved illustrations including two maps. (First title browned and with margins a little tattered.) Old calf (rebacked and cornered in sheep). Provenance: OLIVER CROMWELL (signature on title); Wriothesley Russell, second Duke of Bedford (armorial bookplate, dated 1703); Trinity House (armorial bookplate, shelf-mark label).
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, WITH AN IMPORTANT PROVENANCE. Selden began this work in 1618 at the command of James I to support England's claim to sovereignty of the oceans and to refute Grotius' Mare Liberum, published in 1609. Circumstances prevented its publication until 1636, when Mare Clausum, seu de Dominio Maris libri duo apppeared under the patronage of Charles I. Nedham's translation also includes a section of Additional Evidences and a second part Dominium Maris: or, the Dominion of the Sea... Translated out of the Italian. Nedham was primarily a journalist who during the 1640s and 50s published various pro- and anti-parliamentarian newspapers (in one publication he characterised Cromwell as Copper-Nose, Nose Almighty or The Townbull of Ely). However, this translation was prepared to support Parliament's foreign policy; it was considered a success, Parliament voted him 200l. and Cromwell as Protector confirmed his editorship of Mercurius Politicus. Wing S-2432; Kress 859.
2 parts in 1 volume, 2° (277 x 178mm). Titles printed in red and black, the first with an engraved vignette. 7 woodcut or engraved illustrations including two maps. (First title browned and with margins a little tattered.) Old calf (rebacked and cornered in sheep). Provenance: OLIVER CROMWELL (signature on title); Wriothesley Russell, second Duke of Bedford (armorial bookplate, dated 1703); Trinity House (armorial bookplate, shelf-mark label).
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, WITH AN IMPORTANT PROVENANCE. Selden began this work in 1618 at the command of James I to support England's claim to sovereignty of the oceans and to refute Grotius' Mare Liberum, published in 1609. Circumstances prevented its publication until 1636, when Mare Clausum, seu de Dominio Maris libri duo apppeared under the patronage of Charles I. Nedham's translation also includes a section of Additional Evidences and a second part Dominium Maris: or, the Dominion of the Sea... Translated out of the Italian. Nedham was primarily a journalist who during the 1640s and 50s published various pro- and anti-parliamentarian newspapers (in one publication he characterised Cromwell as Copper-Nose, Nose Almighty or The Townbull of Ely). However, this translation was prepared to support Parliament's foreign policy; it was considered a success, Parliament voted him 200l. and Cromwell as Protector confirmed his editorship of Mercurius Politicus. Wing S-2432; Kress 859.