The history of Great-Britain, from the first inhabitants thereof, t`ill the death of Cadwalader, Last King of the Britains;.. To which is added, The breviary of Britayne, written in Latin......

Additional information

Lewis's early history of Great Britain along with Lhuyd's Breviary of Britayne VG, 1729, First & only edition, small elephant folio, in contemporary worn calf, blind edge tooling. Respined with polished calf, raised bands, the original red calf title label laid down. Internally, rubricated title, [6], [1], 2-71, [1], 251, [1]. [1], [16], [2], [1], 2-8, 13-32, 35-52 pp (odd pagination but complete), [2] woordes, [32] table, 13 large headers & numerous initial letters, hinges strengthened, a few chips to forward edge of fep, ink name to fep (T fransis Payne). The Breviary of Britayne has a separate title page dated 1573, the original date of publication, watermarked with horse within circle, text block edges sprinkled red, occasional contemporary ink marginal note. (Possibly limited to only 200 copies published?). (397*247 mm). (ESTC T113293. Allibone 1091. Brunet 1038. Libri Walliae 3280). Lewis, whose complete history was first published in 1729, over a century after its author's death, by the antiquary Hugh Thomas, perhaps using the text still extant in Harleian MS 4872 in the British Library. Like earlier Welsh historians, for instance Humphrey Llwyd (whose Breviary of Britayne is appended to the 1729 edition of Lewis's book), Lewis was reluctant to part with the much-criticized legends of ancient British kings, from Brutus the Trojan to King Arthur, as recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth.