1559 EDITION OF FABYAN’S CHRONICLE: “THE BEST AND MOST COMPLETE EARLY HISTORY OF ENGLAND”

(FABYAN, Robert). The Chronicle of Fabian, whiche he nameth the concordaunce of histories, newly perused… London: Jhon Kingston, 1559. Two volumes bound in one. Quarto, period-style full dark brown calf, gilt centerpieces, raised bands. Collation: A-B6 a-z6 A-G6 H4; aa-zz6 AA-ZZ6 AAA-BBB6 (without BBB6, blank).

Fourth and final edition, with continuations not in earlier editions, of the “best and most complete early history of England” (Rosenbach), a significant source for Shakespeare’s history plays and a valuable record of the earliest naval engagements fought by England.

Robert Fabyan (d. 1513), “the first of the citizen-chroniclers of London” (DNB), was a merchant, alderman, sheriff, and member of the Drapers’ Company. For the early periods of English history his account is a compilation of the accounts of other historians, but from the reign of Richard I his narrative takes the form of a London chronicle, divided by the names of the mayors and sheriffs. For the events that fell within his own lifetime, Fabyan’s record is considered a significant original authority. “He deserves the praise which he has received… for having made public information which through Hall and Holinshed has become the common property of later historians” (Britannica, 11th ed.). Fabian’s chronicle was consulted by Shakespeare for his early history plays 1, 2, 3 Henry VI, for his Richard III and for the later Henry V (Bullough, vols. III and IV). This, the fourth and final edition, includes continuations by other hands to bring the narrative up to the current year—in this copy as far as May 8, 1559, as evidenced by the cancel sheets for the last three leaves, making this the most complete edition of the Chronicle (some copies of this fourth and final edition finish on January 15). No further editions of Fabyan’s Chronicle were published until Sir Henry Ellis’ reprint of 1811. Printed in black-letter, in double column. Title pages with woodcut architectural borders, woodcut initials throughout. Without final leaf (a blank). STC 10664. Grolier, Langland to Wither 95. Small owner ink stamp to front flyleaf.

A few skillful marginal repairs to a small number of early and later leaves, including title pages, but nowhere affecting text, which has been expertly cleaned. Attractive period-style binding fine.