[William Thomas] | The Historye of Italye, London, 1561, later period-style calf

From the Library of Clayre and Jay Michael Haft

[William Thomas]

The Historye of Italye: a booke exceding profitable to be red, because it intreateth of the astate of many and dyvers common weales, how they have bene, and now be governed. London: Thomas Marsh, (1561)

4to (171 x 124mm.), title within woodcut border [McKerrow & Ferguson 7], woodcut initials, a few marginal notes in an Elizabethan hand on 5 pages, later calf in period style, title page with small hole and slight soiling, a few headlines slightly shaved at end, final leaf slightly worn

William Thomas was a politician and clerk of the Privy Council under Edward VI. He played an active role in Wyatt's rebellion, and in 1554 was condemned as a traitor and hung, drawn and quartered, and the first printing of this book (1549) was burned on the orders of Queen Mary. However, is it now known that he was a keen reader of Machiavelli, being "the first writer so far discovered, not merely in England but in Europe itself, to attempt topical political analysis on the basis of Machiavelli's work" (Sydney Anglo, Machiavelli, the first century, 2005, p.102). This work was composed following his return from four years in Italy, and is a guide book for travellers, giving short histories of the different regions of Italy along with their customs and antiquities.

"Conferryng the dyscourse of dyvers authours together, touchinge the Florentine hystoryes, and finding the effectes of them al gathered in one by Nicolas Macchiavegli, a notable learned man, and secretarie of late daies to the common wealthe there, I determined to take him for mine onely auctour in that behalfe" (fol. 140).

This is the second issue of quire [2]A, with the catchword "enoughe" on [2]A1v.

LITERATURE:

STC 24019