Beschreibung:

KNOLLES, Richard (1550-1610). The Generall Historie of the Turkes from the first beginning of that nation to the rising of the Othoman Familie . London: Adam Islip, 1621. 2 (330 x 215mm.) Engraved title by Laurence Johnson 28 engraved portraits by Johnson in text, engraved illustration of the bridge over the Danube on 4Y4 verso. (Lacking blank A1, title frayed at upper and outer margin, and with tear at lower margin touching on engraved border, several leaves including X5, 2E6 and 2I3 with marginal tears occasionally touching on text, 3F4 with lower corner torn away, 4A4 with segment of outer margin torn away leading to loss of shoulder note on verso, penultimate leaf of table torn with slight loss to bottom line of text and repaired, final leaf with small holes and laminated repair where torn internally, occasional browning and dampstaining.) Contemporary calf, red speckled edges (rebacked, preserving old panelled spine, corners restored, new endpapers). Provenance : Robt. Harbon 1664 (ownership inscription on title). Third edition of 'the greatest of English works of the Renaissance dealing with Turkey' (Chew, The Crescent and the Rose , 1937, p. 111) with the portraits of the Sultans re-engraved from Boissard's Vitae et icones Sultanorum (Frankfurt, 1596), a primary source for Knolles's work. His history took some twelve years to compile, and was highly regarded for its prose style. 'A wonderful multiplicity of events ... artfully arranged' was how Johnson described it in Rambler no. 122, while shortly before his death at Missolonghi Byron wrote: 'Old Knolles was one of the first books that gave me pleasure when a child; and I believe it had much influence on my future wishes to visit the Levant, and gave perhaps the oriental colouring which is observed in my poetry.' STC 15053. Cf. Blackmer 919 for the first edition of 1603. Louis MAIMBOURG (1620-1686). The History of the Crusades; or, The expeditions of the Christian princes for the conquest of the Holy Land , London: R. H. for Thomas Dring, 1685. 2 (318 x 190mm). (Outer margin of title slightly soiled and stained, Z4 recto with rust spot, 2O3 with short tear at upper margin, some light spotting and browning.) Contemporary mottled calf, marbled edges (newly rebacked, later endpapers). Provenance : Sir Stafford H. Northcote, first Earl of Iddesleigh (1818-1887, armorial bookplate). FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, published 10 years after the original French edition of 1675. The whole of part III is devoted to the fourth crusade. Blackmer 1063; Wing M-290. (2)