![VEER, Gerrit de. The True and perfect Description of three Voyages, so strange and woonderfull, that the like hath never been heard of before. Translated by William Phillip. London: for T[homas] Pavier, 1609.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2007/NYR/2007_NYR_01820_0515_000(015324).jpg?w=1)
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VEER, Gerrit de. The True and perfect Description of three Voyages, so strange and woonderfull, that the like hath never been heard of before. Translated by William Phillip. London: for T[homas] Pavier, 1609.
4o (172 x 129 mm). (Tear crossing text repaired on F2, some shoulder notes cropped, a few headlines or catchwords shaved.) Modern calf gilt, edges gilt, by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Provenance: Lord Leconfield, descendant of Henry Percy, ninth Earl of Northumberland (sold Sotheby's 24 April 1928, lot 162, £38 to Maggs); Bois Penrose (both bookplates; his sale part II, Sotheby's London, 9 November 1971, lot 264).
FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH of de Veer's account describing Barentsz's three voyages in his attempt to find the Northeast Passage. It was first published in Dutch in 1598, followed by the Latin and French editions in the same year (see lots 513 and 514). The English edition was published by Thomas Pavier, most known as publisher of Shakespeare's "bad" quartos. Pavier contributed pirated texts of Henry VI, Parts 2 and 3, Pericles, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Henry V, and to the bad quartos.
The majority of the books sold by Lord Leconfield in 1928 were from the library of Henry Percy, ninth Earl of Northumberland (1564-1632), at Petworth House. As heir to one of the most powerful and historic families of England, he came in contact with leading figures of his day involved directly in enterprises overseas, particularly the New World. He was a friend of Raleigh and a sponsor of the Virginia Company. His brother George Percy (1580-1632) was Deputy Governor of Virginia fom 1609 to 1612, and a great opponent of Captain Smith. The sale contained 172 lots, and was extremely rich in important manuscript and printed Americana. EXTREMELY RARE. Alden & Landis 609/127; JCB (3) II:67-68; Sabin 98738; STC 24628.
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FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH of de Veer's account describing Barentsz's three voyages in his attempt to find the Northeast Passage. It was first published in Dutch in 1598, followed by the Latin and French editions in the same year (see lots 513 and 514). The English edition was published by Thomas Pavier, most known as publisher of Shakespeare's "bad" quartos. Pavier contributed pirated texts of Henry VI, Parts 2 and 3, Pericles, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Henry V, and to the bad quartos.
The majority of the books sold by Lord Leconfield in 1928 were from the library of Henry Percy, ninth Earl of Northumberland (1564-1632), at Petworth House. As heir to one of the most powerful and historic families of England, he came in contact with leading figures of his day involved directly in enterprises overseas, particularly the New World. He was a friend of Raleigh and a sponsor of the Virginia Company. His brother George Percy (1580-1632) was Deputy Governor of Virginia fom 1609 to 1612, and a great opponent of Captain Smith. The sale contained 172 lots, and was extremely rich in important manuscript and printed Americana. EXTREMELY RARE. Alden & Landis 609/127; JCB (3) II:67-68; Sabin 98738; STC 24628.