History - 79 - Bauman Rare Books “The First And Rarest Of All Editions”: Illustrated Historie Of Cambria, Now Called Wales, 1584, The First Work To Claim The Welsh Discovered America, With Early References To King Arthur 76. LLANCARFAN, Caradoc of. The Historie of Cambria, now called Wales. London, 1584. Small octavo, late 19th-century full brown morocco gilt. $12,500. First edition of this rare and important history of Wales andWelsh royalty, illustrated throughout with woodcut portraits. This work was the first to attribute the original discovery of America to the Welsh in the 12th century and contains two very early references to King Arthur, including a description of the discovery of the bones of King Arthur and his queen, handsomely bound. “The first and rarest of all the editions” (Sabin 40914) of this famous history of Wales and Welsh royalty from the 7th to 13th centuries and the “Princes of Wales of the blood royall of England” from Edward I to Elizabeth. The work was translated into English in the 16th century by Humphrey Llwyd but remained in manuscript. David Powell, a Welsh historian, “was requested by Sir Henry Sidney, lord president of Wales, to prepare for the press an English translation… The work appeared, under the title The History of Cambria in 1584… though Llwyd’s translation was the basis, Powell’s corrections and additions, founded as they were on independent research, made the Historie practically a new work… and later historians of Wales have to a large extent drawn their material from it” (DNB). Of “special interest for the American collector,” this was the first work to attribute the original discovery of America to a Welshman (Sabin 40914). Printed in Roman and black letter. Illustrated with woodcut portraits, title page, large decorative woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces. STC 4606. Small inkstamp, shelf label; occasional old ink marginalia. Expert repair to joints. A very nearly fine copy, handsomely bound.
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