[Early Printing] Holinshed, Raphaell, Chronicles of

[Early Printing] Holinshed, Raphaell
Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande...
London: John Hunne, 1577. In two volumes. First edition, second state (as per Pforzheimer copy). Presumed married set, as indicated by different ownership signatures in each volume. Folio in eights. 662 leaves; 820 leaves. One-page errata bound in at front of first volume, 6 pp. errata bound in at rear of same. Illustrated with many in-text woodcut illustrations in each volume, and one double-page woodcut map of "Edinburg", trimmed and presumably supplied from another copy, in second volume. First volume bound in contemporary calf boards, stamped in blind and in gilt, sometime rebacked, front and rear boards blistered; second volume tastefully bound to match first; all edges trimmed. First volume: some dampstaining to fore-edge of several text leaves; some quires lightly toned; title-page and dedication for the History of Irelande bound out of order; paper-making fault in bottom edge of p. 94/95 in the Description of Britaine and in fore-edge of pp. 289/290 in The Historie of Englande; small paper loss in fore-edge of pp. 151/152 in The Historie of Scotlande just touching sidenotes, and in bottom corner of pp. 245/246 of same affecting a few sidenote letters, and in bottom edge of pp. 11/12 in The Historie of Irelande. Second volume: scattered dampstaining to fore-edges, bottom edge of title-page repaired; paper-making fault in fore-edge of pp. 449/450 affecting a few letters in same; repair in fore-edge of pp. 1415/1416. Both volumes: text leaves slightly trimmed; scattered spotting and soiling; scattered neglible paper faults and repairs; occasional manuscript notations; old ownership signatures on each title-page. ESTC 006198939; STC 13568b; Pfzorheimer 494.Raphael Holinshed's comprehensive history of Britain, Scotland, and Ireland, from their earliest inhabitants up to the 16th century. Inspiration for several Renaissance writers including William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe.