Heywood, Thomas

Folio (11 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.; 286 x 184 mm). Engraved title-page depicting the nine muses with Apollo enthroned at the top (Johnson no. 29, not illustrated), first word of title in Greek, text within rules with a marginal column provided for side-notes, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces; first four leaves of quire Q creased in upper right corner with minor soiling, paper fault on bottom margin of T2 not affecting text, short tear on bottom margin of 2E1 just touching text in one line, loss of lower right corner of 2N5 just touching rule, mottling in quire 2R, lacking initial and final blanks. Contemporary calf ruled in blind, the spine in six compartments, edges sprinkled red, lacking the pastedowns.

Anthony Cope, Fourth Baronet (1632–1675), Hanwell Castle, Oxfordshire (signature on bottom margin of title-page: "Ant. Cope" and by descent to) — Sir John Cope, Fifth Baronet (1634–1721; engraved armorial bookplate on front pastedown). acquisition: Francis Edwards

STC 13326; ESTC S119701; Grolier/Langland to Wither 142

Folio (11 1/4 x 7 1/4 in.; 286 x 184 mm). Engraved title-page depicting the nine muses with Apollo enthroned at the top (Johnson no. 29, not illustrated), text within rules with a marginal column provided for side-notes, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces; first four leaves of quire Q creased in upper right corner with minor soiling, paper fault on bottom margin of T2 not affecting text, short tear on bottom margin of 2E1 just touching text in one line, loss of lower right corner of 2N5 just touching rule, mottling in quire 2R, lacking initial and final blanks. Contemporary calf ruled in blind, the spine in six compartments, edges sprinkled red, lacking the pastedowns.
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First edition. In 1624 the popular playwright Thomas Heywood (c. 1573–1641) ended a long literary silence (probably due to financial distress which he suggests in his dedication to his former patron, the Earl of Worcester) with the present work celebrating strong women through history, from mythological goddesses to illustrious mortals such as Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne.