CAMDEN’S IMPORTANT 1630 HISTORY OF ELIZABETH I, “AMONG THE BEST HISTORICAL PRODUCTIONS COMPOSED BY AN ENGLISHMAN” (HUME),1630 FIRST COMPLETE EDITION IN ENGLISH

CAMDEN, William. The Historie of the Life and Reigne of the most Renowned and Victorious Princesse Elizabeth, Late Queene of England. London: Benjamin Fisher, 1630. Small folio, contemporary full polished dark brown calf gilt, raised bands.

First complete edition in English of Camden’s important history of Elizabeth I, “among the best historical productions which have yet been composed by an Englishman” (Hume), with fine engraved frontispiece portrait of the Queen.

This "most exquisite history" (Lowndes, 358) by the greatest Renaissance historian (and teacher of Ben Jonson) granted William Camden full "claim to be considered as the founder, not merely of antiquarian studies, but also of the study of modern history" (PMM 101). His "friend and patron, Lord Burleigh, had in 1597, a year before his death, urged Camden to compile a history of the reign of Elizabeth. His lordship had carefully noted the events and actors of the time, and his information and literary records were of invaluable assistance to the historian." In his History of England Hume notes that this work "is written with simplicity of expression, very rare in that age, and with a regard to truth. It would not, perhaps, be too much to affirm that it is among the best historical productions which have yet been composed by any Englishman." "With William Camden the chronicle reached its zenith" (Kunitz & Haycraft, 82). Although the first part of his work (covering 1558, the first year of Elizabeth's reign, through the end of 1588) was published in Latin in 1615 as Annales Rerum Anglicarum, Camden requested that the final part (from 1589 through Elizabeth's death in 1603) be published posthumously. Camden died in 1623 and the final part appeared in 1625, again in Latin. The English translation of the first part appeared in 1625 and of the second part in 1629. This 1630 edition is the first complete edition in English of the entire work. Second issue, with title page cancel. Table with leaf 4G1 misbound, without final blank (text of Table complete). Illustrate with splendid engraved frontispiece portrait of Queen Elizabeth, woodcut decorative initials, ornamental head- and tailpieces. STC 4500.5. Bookplate of Charles Longuet Higgins, noted Victorian British philanthropist.

Interior generally fine. Closed tears to leaves 3B1 and 3H4, affecting lettering but not sense of text. Light expert restoration to attractive contemporary speckled calf binding.