George Steevens' copy.- Coryate (Thomas) Coryats
George Steevens' copy.- Coryate (Thomas) Coryats Crudities Hastily gobbled up in five Moneths travells in France, Savoy, Italy, Rhetia...Switzerland, some parts of high Germany, and the Netherlands, first edition, woodcut of badge of Prince of Wales bound as frontispiece, engraved title by William Hole incorporating portrait of the author and figures representing various countries, 4 engraved plates (1 folding) and 2 illustrations in text, plate of the Venetian courtesan facing p.261 remargined, lower edge of e5 restored with loss to rule and about 5 words of text, small restoration to corner of G3 and hole in lower corner of Ii4, rust-holes in 2N3 and 2O1 slightly affecting text, tiny rust-hole in 3A2, some minor worming to inner margin, occasionally touching text or plate, a few other rust marks and minor staining, errata leaf at end, 19th century green straight-grain morocco, gilt, hinges reinforced, joints and extremities a little rubbed, g.e., [STC 5808; Pforzheimer 218], 4to, Printed by W. S[tansby], 1611.
⁂ A superb, complete copy of this major travel guide. Coryate (?1577-1617) studied at Oxford without taking a degree and ended up at the court of James I, where he gained considerable popularity as a wit and buffoon. He used money inherited from his father to travel, setting off in 1608 and visiting some 45 cities in 7 countries in 5 months on foot, by cart, boat and horse. It is reckoned he covered almost 2,000 miles, over half of which was accomplished in one pair of shoes, mended only once and, on his return, hung up in the church at Odcombe in Somerset (his place of birth), where they remained for over a century.
Despite his achievements, he found it difficult to get the account of his journies published and so appealed to all he knew to write commendatory verses about himself and the book. Among the more than 60 contributors of mock-heroic verse were Ben Jonson (acrostic on b4), John Donne, Inigo Jones, George Chapman and Michael Drayton.
Provenance: George Steevens (1736-1800, commentator on Shakespeare, friend of Samuel Johnson, ink stamp on title verso); Dudley C. Marjoribanks (leather bookplate).
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George Steevens' copy.- Coryate (Thomas) Coryats Crudities Hastily gobbled up in five Moneths travells in France, Savoy, Italy, Rhetia...Switzerland, some parts of high Germany, and the Netherlands, first edition, woodcut of badge of Prince of Wales bound as frontispiece, engraved title by William Hole incorporating portrait of the author and figures representing various countries, 4 engraved plates (1 folding) and 2 illustrations in text, plate of the Venetian courtesan facing p.261 remargined, lower edge of e5 restored with loss to rule and about 5 words of text, small restoration to corner of G3 and hole in lower corner of Ii4, rust-holes in 2N3 and 2O1 slightly affecting text, tiny rust-hole in 3A2, some minor worming to inner margin, occasionally touching text or plate, a few other rust marks and minor staining, errata leaf at end, 19th century green straight-grain morocco, gilt, hinges reinforced, joints and extremities a little rubbed, g.e., [STC 5808; Pforzheimer 218], 4to, Printed by W. S[tansby], 1611.
⁂ A superb, complete copy of this major travel guide. Coryate (?1577-1617) studied at Oxford without taking a degree and ended up at the court of James I, where he gained considerable popularity as a wit and buffoon. He used money inherited from his father to travel, setting off in 1608 and visiting some 45 cities in 7 countries in 5 months on foot, by cart, boat and horse. It is reckoned he covered almost 2,000 miles, over half of which was accomplished in one pair of shoes, mended only once and, on his return, hung up in the church at Odcombe in Somerset (his place of birth), where they remained for over a century.
Despite his achievements, he found it difficult to get the account of his journies published and so appealed to all he knew to write commendatory verses about himself and the book. Among the more than 60 contributors of mock-heroic verse were Ben Jonson (acrostic on b4), John Donne, Inigo Jones, George Chapman and Michael Drayton.
Provenance: George Steevens (1736-1800, commentator on Shakespeare, friend of Samuel Johnson, ink stamp on title verso); Dudley C. Marjoribanks (leather bookplate).
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