Lot 67
  • 67

English Civil War

Estimate
2,500 - 3,500 GBP
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Description

  • Collection of 79 seventeenth-century pamphlets from the period of the Civil War in one volume:
  • paper
Parsons, Ralph. Two famous battels fought in Ireland: vvherein the Protestants under the command of the Earle of Ormond, Sr. Charles Coote, and Sr. Simon Harcourt, slew great numbers of the rebels, routing them from one town to another, and tooke divers prisoners to their great joy and comfort... Whereunto is added, the brave adventures and victorious exploits of Captain Thomas Steutevile, neere unto the town of Drogheda in Ireland. For J Wright, 1642, woodcut illustration on title, [Wing P562], stained, title page slightly defective--A true relation of the late Hurliburly at Kingston upon Thames, on Wednesday the 12 of Jauua. [sic]... printed in the year 1642, woodcut illustration, [Wing T2984]--June 8th. 1642. A True Relation of the Proceedings of the Scots and English Forces in the North of Ireland... For F. Coules and T. Bates, 1642, [Wing P2224]--Charles I. His Majesties gracious message to both House of Parliament, sent from Nottingham the 25. of August, 1642...Robert Barker and John Bill, 1642, [Wing C2334]--Newes from the Tower, France and Purgatory. First, concerning the imprisonment of Sir Edward Deering...imprinted in the yeare, 1642, [Wing N1022A, THREE COPIES ONLY]--Davis, John. Certaine and good News from the West of Ireland, and City of Cork...concerning the taking and besieging of the Town of Dungarven, and the overthrow of many hundreds of the Irish Rebells...for F. Coules, 1642, woodcut illustration on title, [Wing D419, FIVE COPIES ONLY]--Cole, Robert. More good and true news from Ireland...likewise a new plot discovered against our kingdome by the Danes...for F. Coules, 1642 [Wing C5025, FIVE COPIES ONLY]--Joyfull Newes from Ireland...For John Franke, 1642, [Wing L2831]--Horrible News from Yorke: Hull, and Newcastle...for Ioh Greensmeth. An. Coe, 1642, [Wing H2860, ONLY TWO COPIES, NO COPY IN THE BRITISH LIBRARY], badly stained--Porter, Robert. A True Relation of Prince Ruperts Barbarous Cruelty against the towne of Birmingham, to which place on Monday Apr. 3 1643. he marcht with 2000 horse and foot...For John Wright, 1642, [Wing P2987A]--A Declaration of a strange and Wonderfull Monster: born in Kirkham Parish in Lancashire...Jane Coe, 1646, woodcut illustration on title, [Wing D602]--A spectacle, or councell of consequence; given by him that will appeare as impartiall in his words, as the world has found him in his waies, he continues a like to all, and the same to the last... T. Paine, 1645, woodcut illustration of Death on title, [Wing S4847, FOUR COPIES ONLY]--[Taylor, John.] The Devil turn'd Round-Head...[1642], woodcut illustration on title, [Wing T449]--[Bond, Edward.] Oneale and Colonell Brunslow, Chiefe of the Rebells in Ireland; their apprehension at Grohoyne in...Munster...also a description of the taking of a ship upon the coasts of Barbary... for Andrew Coe and Marmaduke Boat, 1642, [Wing B3558]--Englands ioy and sorrovv: expressing their sorrow for the Kings going into Scotland, and their ioy for the Queene Mothers farewell. F. Coules, 1641, [Wing E2986], in verse, nibbled at with slight loss--A diurnall of sea designes, which is as strange as true. Relating vvhat great preparations many mighty forraigne princes have now upon the ocean, no man knowing for what intent or purpose. For W.S., 1642, [Wing H154], a political satire of the conflicts of the time--The Last warning to all the inhabitants of London. [Richard Overton, 1646], [Wing L512], annotations; AND 61 OTHERS, similar, nearly all from 1642, many recording battles or confrontations in Ireland, York, Hull, Durham and elsewhere, also orders, declarations (to raise money for the army), ordinances, remonstrances and speeches in parliament (including Rowse, Hollis, Wroth), propositions for peace treaties with the king, resolutions to reform church government in the face of Scottish declarations, Proclamations by Charles I, petitions of the inhabitants of Cirencester and of Wales, letters (some reporting battles or victories, e.g. Middlewich, 15 March 1642), reports of funerals (e.g. Robert earl of Essex) and of strange apparitions, further tracts on the Irish Wars, Letters from Amsterdam, reports of executions at Tyburn, articles of impeachment (e.g. against Lord Digby, Sir Thomas Gardiner); some Oxford imprints; 4to; late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century mottled calf (spine numbered 3); contemporary manuscript annotations on front endpaper; some pamphlets stained, browned or torn

Provenance

The Forbes Baronetcy was created in 1626 for Sir William Forbes (d. circa 1650) by James VI in the Barontage of Nova Scotia. The majority of the works offered here were acquired by the sixth Baronet, also William (1739-1806), who added Pitsligo to his title in 1781. He was an eminent Scottish banker and benefactor, good friend of James Boswell and Samuel Johnson (see lots 45-46), and finally succeeded in recovering the Pitsligo estates forfeited after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. His son William, the seventh baronet, beat Sir Walter Scott to the hand of the renowned beauty Williamina Belsches Stuart (1776-1810), and it was with their marriage that the family moved to her family seat, Fettercairn House in Kincardineshire, Aberdeenshire.

One of the sixth baronet’s acquisitions for his library at Pitsligo were numerous highly important miscellanies and tract volumes, many of which were purchased as a set from Edinburgh bookseller Elphinstone Balfour in October 1786. These were subsequently supplemented by further contemporary tracts and other works from the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century. Most of these miscellanies bear a nineteenth century Forbes family bookplate.

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing unless otherwise stated
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF TRACTS FROM THE CENTRE OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR PERIOD, with a number of rare or important pamphlets.