Preston, John

4to (7 1/4 x 5 1/2 in.; 184 x 140 mm). Title within ruled border embellished with printer's ornaments, text within ruled border with marginal column for printed side-notes, separate title-page for "A Sermon Preached at a Generall Fast before the Commons-House of Parliament: the Second of July, 1625" with continuous register and pagination, and for "The New Creature"  and "The Cuppe of Blessing" but with separate registers and pagination (except for title-page Of "New Creature"which ESTC collation apparently regards as X2), "A Sermon" and "The Cuppe of Blessing" set within woodcut architectural borders, "The New Creature" within a border of printer's ornaments, woodcut initials and headpieces; occasional browning, rough marginal tear the length of ²B4 costing a portion of the blank side-note column. Contemporary black morocco, gilt triple-filleted frame composed of double-rules filed with tiny dots, cornerpieces on two innermost frames, gilt supralibros of William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, spine in five compartments gilt, raised bands, edges gilt; extremities rubbed, old tear to upper cover, spine ends chipped, ties perished.  

Philip Herbert (supralibros of his elder brother William) — Philip Henry (Philip Herbert's godson, and thence by descent to his grandson) — Thomas Tylston (note on front free endpaper: "Thomas Tylston His Book. The Legacy of his Grandfather Mr. Philip Henry")

STC 20262; ESTC S11580

First edition, The binding bears the arms of William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1580–1630). He was succeeded by his younger brother Philip (1584–1650), to whom this book is dedicated. Philip was an active patron of literature, receiving the dedication of over forty books during his lifetime. His most famous dedication was that of Shakespeare's first folio.