An Epitome of Chronicles... to the reigne of Queene Elizabeth. By Thomas Lanquette, continued by Thomas Cooper. London: William Seres for Thomas Marshe, 1559.
-------------------
Thomas Lanquette studied at Oxford and devoted himself to historical research. His main work, his Chronicles, was generally a translation of Johann Carion's Chronicle, one of the most lauded historical books by Protestants, notably Melanchthon. Since Lanquette died in 1545, Thomas Cooper completed it for the first edition of 1549. Lanquette himself only reached up until c.17 AD, having begun his history at the Biblical time of creation. This edition was notably extremely anti-Catholic in its telling of historical events, and the third edition of 1560 was much less extreme in its stance regarding the Catholic Church. It preserves some very interesting oral traditions, for example that in 1552, it is written that "one named Johannes Faustius fyrst founde the craft of printinge, in the citee of Mens in Germanie."
A rare edition, notable for being an early English book in characteristic black letter type, just following the post-incunable period. Bound in an attractive modern binding.
-------------------
Provenance:
Bookplate of Lord Viscount Powerscourt to front pastedown, seemingly transplanted from earlier pastedowns from a prior binding. Most likely held at Powerscourt Estate, Ireland, prior to 1974 where there was a fire there. This is the seat of the Slazenger family, founders and former owners of the Slazenger sporting goods company. Though it could have been kept at Powerscourt House in Dublin, but this is less likely as this was only owned by the family between 1774 and 1811 where acquired by the Irish government. It is now a high-end shopping centre.
-------------------
Size: 150 x 205 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(3), D1-E4, F3, A1-2Y4 (ff.1-181), 2Z1-3G4 (ff.181-304), 3G6 (ff.305-310) (3)]
Modern full leather binding with gilt title, author and date in compartments to the spine between raised bands. Small losses of leather to a few places on the binding as pictured. Both boards securely attached. Shelf and edge wear. Page edges toned. Bookplate attached to front pastedown. Text block fairly clean with light toning, occasional foxing, and some damp-staining, notably at the extremities. Occasional marginalia. Some tape repairs to sporadic leaves. Lacking the first few leaves (refer to collation, WorldCat calls for 28 preliminary leaves). Stamp to ff.86 reading "Collegium Carm. Discal S. Maria Dublinii." There are two copies of leaf 181 bound in, both of which are included in the continuing signatures, and both are labelled as leaf 181. Modern pastedowns and blanks. Leaves are numbered up to 280 and then there are 30 unnumbered leaves, some of the leaf numbers have been corrected in ink. Many ink inscriptions / marks to the last page of the text block. Erratic signatures and catchwords as printed.
[OCLC 55578083, 1351303657].
