ASTLEY | The art of riding, London, 1584, later calf, drop-back box

[ASTLEY, JOHN]

THE ART OF RIDING, SET FOORTH IN A BRIEF TREATISE, WITH A DUE INTERPRETATION OF CERTEINE PLACES ALLEDGED OUT OF XENOPHON, AND GRYSON, VERIE EXPERT AND EXCELLENT HORSEMEN... LASTLIE IS ADDED A SHORT DISCOURSE OF THE CHAINE OR CAVEZZAN, THE TRENCH, AND THE MARTINGALE... LONDON: HENRY DENHAM, 1584, WOODCUT HEADPIECE ON TITLE-PAGE (SLIGHTLY SHAVED), WOODCUT INITIALS, HEAD- AND TAILPIECES

CORTE, Claudio. The art of riding, conteining diverse necessarie instructions, demonstrations, helps, and corrections apperteining to horssemanship [translated by Thomas Bedingfield]. London: Henry Denham, 1584, woodcut headpiece on title-page, woodcut initials and headpieces, woodcut illustrations (some full-page)

2 works in one volume, 4to (177 x 130mm.), later calf rebacked, modern drop-back box, cut close at head, binding rubbed

A fine pair of early English books on horsemanship, following the Continental form of dressage as described by Federico Grisone. Italian horse masters were considered the experts in this field; Claudio Corte, whose work was first published in Venice in 1562, was brought to England in 1565 by Robert Dudley, Elizabeth I's Master of the Horse. These two associated works were issued with forewords by the Gentlemen Pensioners MacWilliam and Fitzwilliam; the translator Bedingfield was also a Pensioner, and Astley's son would become a Pensioner. The Gentlemen Pensioners were a group of fifty courtiers forming an élite military guard, originally constituted by Henry VIII.

LITERATURE:

Podeschi, Books on the Horse 11 & 12; STC 884 & 5797

PROVENANCE:

T. Travers Taylor; John Shaw, Darlington, inscriptions on flyleaf

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