BERNERS, JULIANA. C.1388-?

The Gentlemans Academie: Or, The Booke of St. Albans.... London: Humfrey Lownes, 1595.

The Gentlemans Academie: Or, The Booke of St. Albans.... London: Humfrey Lownes, 1595.
3 parts in 1 volume. Small 4to (180 x 128 mm). Woodcut coats of arms, some colored. Late 19th/early 20th century half Russia and marbled boards, spine with 4 raised bands. Corners a little bumped, title page cut out and laid down, lacking blanks (A1, Z3-4 and Dd4), marginal tear with loss to top edge of M2 with loss of text to headline on verso.

The Booke of St. Albans, re-titled and edited by English Poet Gervase Markham. The first publication of this work in 1486 had no title page, but was attributed to "Dam Julyans Barnes in her boke of huntyng," which changed, in a 1496 edition, to "Dame Julyans Bernes." The authorship has come to be accepted as Dame Juliana Berners, Prioress of St. Mary of Sopwell, near St. Albans, though little is known of her life. This edition, comprising treatises on falconry, hunting and heraldry, was never republished. ESTC S103621; Schwerdt 2, 12; STC 3314.