Proctor, The history of wyates rebellion, London, 1555, old calf

Proctor, John

The historie of wyates rebellion. London: [Robert Caly], January 1555

8vo (129 x 85mm.), black letter, title within woodcut border [McKerrow & Ferguson 82], woodcut initials, later calf, lacking final leaf N6 (containing end of index and colophon), first and last few leaves repaired at foredge, rebacked

Sir Thomas Wyatt was a professional soldier of reforming tendencies who flourished during the reign of Edward VI; on the accession of Mary in 1553 he was one of many who were worried about the result of a marriage to Philip of Spain and a coup was attempted in order to prevent the marriage. Wyatt raised troops in Kent and after some initial success marched on London in February 1554, though by March he was in custody and then executed in April. He maintained at his trial that his only aim was to prevent the Spanish from taking control.

This account of the rebellion by the Catholic schoolmaster Proctor is, unsurprisingly, hostile to Wyatt, claiming that Wyatt's motivation was religious rather than political; Wyatt himself declared that he had acted to prevent England being ruled by Spain, not to restore Protestantism. The first edition of Proctor's account was issued in December 1554, and quickly reprinted (as here) in January 1555; ESTC records about ten copies of each edition and they are both rare on the market.

LITERATURE:

STC 20408

PROVENANCE:

D.L. Cumming, signature on flyleaf