The Baronage of England, Or An Historical Account of the Lives and most Memorable Actions of Our English Nobility In the Saxons time, to the Norman Conquest; And from thence, of those who had their rise before the end of King Henry the Third's Reign. Deduced From Publick Records, Ancient Historians, and other Authorities, by
William Dugdale. London. Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Abel Roper, John Martin, and Henry Herringman, 1675-76.
FIRST EDITION OF WILLIAM DUGDALE'S HISTORY OF ENGLISH ARISTOCRACY FROM ANGLO-SAXON TIMES THROUGH TO THE TIME OF HENRY III.
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Dugdale's Baronage of England contains an alphabetically ordered historical account of the lives and actions of English nobility from the Anglo-Saxons through to the time of Henry III. This is an excellent example of this rare first edition complete with all 5 foldout tables in notably excellent condition.
"The Baronage [by Dugdale] is distinguished by the most laborious research and extraordinary accuracy, and confers honour upon its author" [Lowndes]. ODNB also recognises that Dugdale's Baronage of England is "an immense work of genealogical scholarship derived from sound sources that retains its value to the present day" which is particularly remarkable given that it was one of the first attempts at such a historical work and in many ways laid the foundation for later British historians such as David Hume, Edward Gibbon, and Tobias Smollett.
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Provenance:
From the collection of T. Brynmor Pugh, though without indication to his ownership of this book for around 50 years.
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Size: 250 x 360 x 93 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[i, i, i-viii, 790pp, i-ii (index)]; [i (errata), i, i, i-iii, i (errata), 191pp]; [193-488, iii (index)]
Collated as complete. 3 volumes bound together as one with the pagination of volumes two and three running consecutively with foldout tables measuring 14x9 inches. Contemporary full reverse tan calf with an early rebacking also in reverse calf but a darker shade. Spine with raised bands, the original label relaid to the newer spine. Recent (c.1960s) white cloth tape reinforcing the inner hinges. Small amount of old wormholing to head of inner front board without any significant effect to the page block. A few later leaves in the third volume with some minor light dampstaining which does not affect any legibility. Title page of the first volume trimmed to the printed area and remounted in more contemporary high quality paper. The following leaf has some juvenile signature practice, probably circa 1700, also present in smaller part to the final index leaf in the third volume. An excellent example of this scarce first edition.
[Wing D2480].
