More (Sir Thomas, Saint) The Workes, first edition in English of the complete works, John Cawood

More (Sir Thomas, Saint) The Workes, first edition in English of the complete works, largely printed in black letter, title within fine woodcut border incorporating Royal arms at head, woodcut initials, without leaf chi1 often inserted between 2C5 and 2C6, lacking blank leaf [par]10 and final blank, title little browned and soiled with a few wormholes (no loss to text or border), single wormhole within text of first c.18 leaves, 2[par]2 lower corner repaired with loss to letter of catchword, a few ff. with tears neatly repaired (fg5, 2i3, 2k7 & I7 affecting text or with loss to few letters), B4, X8 & 2R3 with tiny [rust-]hole within text, a few small marginal chips, occasional passage-marking and a few annotations in an early hand, some light browning, the occasional stain or light soiling, final few Sig. damp-stained at head, still overall a very good copy, modern antique style calf, spine in compartments, one lettered in gilt, a few minor scuff marks, [STC 18076; Pforzheimer 743], folio (277 x 185mm.), John Cawood, John Waly, and Richarde Tottell, 1557.*** The important first English edition of the complete works of "the man for all seasons", edited by his nephew William Rastell, arranged in chronological order and with marginal notes and a dedication to Queen Mary. It is also a source-book for Shakespeare's Richard III."Given the conditions that More faced in the Tower of London during his last year it is all the more remarkable that he continued his writings. Towards the end, when paper and pen had been taken from him, he still managed to write letters in charcoal to the family. His Treatise on the Passion and the Latin version, Exposito passionis, give a vivid account of Christ's last hours before his death on the Cross, and his Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation is sometimes regarded as his finest work in English" (Keith Watson, Sir Thomas More).Provenance: Thomas Kery (contemporary ownership inscriptions to title and verso of final f.).