[Hall's Chronicle] The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke beginnyng at the Tyme of Kyng Henry the Fowerth [...] to ye Reigne of [...] Kyng Henry the Eyght [...] Whereunto is added to Every Kyng a Seuerall Table. By Edward Halle. London: Richard Grafton [and Steven Mierdman], 1550, large 4to, a.e.g.
EXTREMELY RARE: SUPPRESSED BY PARLIAMENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF MOST COPIES. THE SOURCE BOOK FOR MANY OF SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORY PLAYS, AND ONE OF THE EARLIEST ENGLISH AMERICANA PRINTS. AN EXCELLENT COPY.
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Hall's Chronicle is one of the most significant books covering English history printed during the infancy of the English printing press. Edward Hall, the author, was a strong supporter of the Protestant King Henry VIII and so when the Catholic Queen Mary I came into power, this book was banned by an act of Parliament in 1555 which resulted in the destruction of the majority of the print run. Correspondingly, ESTC remarks that "this is an exceptionally difficult work to grasp." This edition is of particular importance to Shakespearean scholars as it is one of the major sources used by William Shakespeare in the production of his historical plays, notably Richard III and the Battle of Castillon in Henry VI.
This work contains "the first definite historical account of an English voyage to America" (Rosenbach), first being printed in 1548, that edition is unobtainable, and so here represents the earliest obtainable copy of this important work. Rosenbach identifies this work as an important and very rare item of early Americana. Kunitz and Haycraft write: "An eyewitness account of the court of Henry VIII, fresh, original, and wonderfully vivid… Hall's chronicle was banned in 1555 under Queen Mary and as a consequence became exceedingly rare. Nevertheless, it survived to become a source for Shakespeare in the historical dramas and a model for the later chronicles of Grafton, Holinshed, and Stow" (244).
THE VERY RARE MOST DESIRABLE SETTING OF EXTANT COPIES, described by ESTC as "ideal", WITH ALL REQUISITE POINTS: the second leaf is signed "A.ii." and line 2 up has "reson", the third leaf verso mentions a separate table for each king, the fourth leaf recto includes "Englyshe Wryters.", each king has a separate register and foliation and has Roman numeral line numbers in the inner margins, A1 recto last line reads "king henry", B2 recto line 35 has "[and] committed" where "and" uses the Tironian sign rather than printing "and" - this particular typesetting is the rarest variant which ESTC suggests is either a trial setting or a replacement setting for damaged leaves. The indexes to Henry VI and VII are in 64mm textura where the others (printed by Steven Mierdman) are in 78mm.
Extant copies are extremely rare. A broadly similar copy sold at PBA Galleries (auction) in America, 6th February 2022 lot 87 realising $10,625. This same copy also sold at Christie's 9th October 2001 lot 238 realising $5,875 which is approximately the same as the 2022 result adjusted for inflation. It is very rare both institutionally and in commerce, here offered at an extremely competitive price. This is the only copy currently on the market worldwide that we can trace.
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Size: 199 x 288 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(1), [A1], A2-4, A8, B-E6, F2; a-g6, h8, I2; a-q6, r8, s3; A-I6, K8, L3; AA-DD6, aa-ee6, ff7; aaa-iii6, kkk7, lll3; a-z6, A-Y6, Z4, [Z5], (1)]
Modern fine binding, full calf, the spine finely tooled in gilt, raised bands to spine, boards decorated in minimal blind. Both boards securely attached, the binding is secure and stands without shelf lean. All edges gilt. Mild rubbing to front board causing minor discolouration, but shows very attractively nonetheless. No attached bookplates or ownership inscriptions, modern endpapers. Black letter text with large woodcut initials and some smaller woodcut historiated initials. Lacks two textual leaves (only), the title leaf and the colophon leaf, as often among institutional copies, both provided in excellent facsimile, but also lacks all of the sectional blanks s4, L4, ff8, kkk8, lll4, and Z6, as also with many copies. Some worming to the first three leaves (i.e. A2-4) and much less so to the last few leaves. Where signatures are misprinted these have been corrected in a contemporary hand ((2)q2, for example). A few fine paper repairs throughout, never causing text loss. Sporadic contemporary marginalia present, but generally quite faded. Mild toning and spotting in places throughout, but generally internally bright. A lovely copy.
[STC (2nd ed.) 12723; ESTC S120059; USTC 504475; Kunitz & Haycraft, 244].
