Virgil's "English History"

VIRGIL.

[Anglica historia] Polydori Vergili Vrbinatis Anglicae historiae. libri vigintiseptem. ab ipso autore postremùm iam recogniti, ádq[ue] amussim, salua tamen historiae veritate, expoliti ; indices rerum singularum & vtiles & copiosos, in operis calce adiectos reperies.

Basileae: Apud Thomam Guarinum, 1570.

Anglica historia] Polydori Vergili Vrbinatis Anglicae historiae libri vigintiseptem. ab ipso autore postremùm iam recogniti, ádq[ue] amussim, salua tamen historiae veritate, expoliti ; indices rerum singularum & vtiles & copiosos, in operis calce adiectos reperies. Basileae: Apud Thomam Guarinum, 1570.

Folio (12 5/8 x 8 inches; 320 x 205 mm). [2], [1]-691, [37, index], [2, colophon] pp. Printer's device of Palm, stating "Palma Guar." on title-page and final leaf. With eight lines of verse praising the work, superscribed "Simon Grynaevs lectori", on the title-page. Text in Latin.

Early mottled calf, rebacked and recornered. Boards ruled in blind. Edges dyed red. Boards a bit scuffed and worn. Inner hinges have been repaired, and then cracked again. Old ink notes on front fly leaf and title-page. A small hole to bottom outer corner of title-page, not affecting text. A two-inch by half-inch cut from top outer corner of title-page not affecting text. Some dampstaining throughout. Previous owner's bookplate on front pastedown. Overall a very good copy.

"Vergil is best known today for his English History, the Anglica historia. He had probably kept a journal and begun his research into English history soon after his arrival in 1502, but research for a full-scale history of England most likely began in 1506–7, encouraged by Henry VII. A first manuscript version of the Anglica historia, covering events to 1513, was completed in 1512–13 and is now preserved in the Vatican Library. This work was first published at Basel in 1534 by Johann Bebel, but in a version that only went down to 1509. This was followed by a much revised second edition of 1546, and by a third edition of 1555 that was again revised by the author and extended to 1538. " (DNB).

HBS 67073.

$1,000.

Price: $1,000.00

Item #67073