[Anglica historia] Polydori Vergili Vrbinatis Anglicae historiae

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.