Machiavelli, I sette libri dell'arte della guerra, [London], 1587, old vellum

MACHIAVELLI, NICCOLÒ

I sette libri dell'arte della guerra, novamente corretti. [London: John Wolfe], 1587

8vo (162 x 100mm.), woodcut initials and tailpieces, typographical plans of battle formations, folding double-page woodcut depicting the layout of a fortress, old vellum, spine darkened, lower joint and spine split, lacking two pairs of ties

This is one of numerous Italian books printed surreptitiously by John Wolfe around this time (he also printed Aretino and earned himself the nickname "Machiavel"). It is a reissue of STC 17163 with a replacement title-page which no longer states the false imprint of "Palermo, Antonello degli Antonelli" (the conjoint leaf A8 has also been reset). Wolfe made a considerable contribution to the reception of Machiavelli in Elizabethan England by making the texts available to both scholars and statesmen.

The folding woodcut plate depicts the layout of a fortress, accompanying the lengthy discussion on fortification in book seven.

LITERATURE:

STC 17163.5; USTC 510800 (listing 7 copies)