BUCHANAN’S HISTORY OF SCOTLAND 1722

Very rare antiquarian volumes entitled "Buchanan’s History of Scotland, In Twenty Books", Second Edition, revised and corrected from the Latin original by Mr. Bond, in two volumes, printed by J. Bettenham in London in 1722; George Buchanan (1506-1582) was a Scottish humanist, educator, man of letters, and scholarly tutor to kings and queens; this work is an extensive and very influential history of Scotland described in rich detail

The frontispiece of Volume I features an engraving of King James VI of Scotland, I of England by G. Vertue in 1721; the book contains a Dedication to The Right Honourable John, Earl of Bristol, written and signed off by My Lord, Your Lordship's, Most Obliged, Most Obedient and Most Humble Servant, William Bond; this is followed by The Epistle Dedicatory to James VI, King of Scotland, and First of England, by George Buchanan himself for the first Latin Edition published at Edinburgh in 1582 as the Rerum Scoticarum Historia; the reference to James I of England was added by William Bond for the 1722 English Edition, Buchanan having died in 1582, and James only becoming King of England in 1603; in 1580 Buchanan wrote his own life's history which has also been added by Bond, making this item a rather special and important work

The frontispiece of Volume II features and engraving of Mary Queen of Scots, also by Geo, Vertue in 1721; George Vertue (1684-1756) was an important English engraver and antiquary, The Dedication in Volume II is to Henry Jermyn Bond, Esq. by William Bond

This Volume I is of particular interest due to the date, 1757, and signature of its owner, Wm. Freely (sp?) and the latter’s hand notation in the Dedication of Volume II wherein he states "What this editor says as above line 13, 14, 15, 16, is not true, for whoever will read the Tryal of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, …………….."

Presented with original embossed leather bound boards, complete with original gold embossed spine title labels, (lacking from other volumes) in good condition showing some rubbing wear at corners, but with internal pages still firmly bound, clear and distinct with age-toning; a similar set is currently for sale online at $1120.00