GENERAL HISTORY OF SPAIN (1699, first edition in English)

1699, The General HISTORY OF SPAIN

"from The first Peopling of it by Tubal,
till the Death of King Ferdinand who united the Crowns of CASTILE and ARAGON,
with a CONTINUATION to the Death of King Philip III"

By the R.F.F. John de MARIANA (Juan de Mariana, 1535-1624)

"To which are added, TWO SUPPLEMENTS,

THE FIRST by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo,
THE OTHER by F. Basil Varen de Soto,
bringing it down to the present Reign" (1649)

Translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens (c1662–1726; English Jacobite, Hispanist and translator, born in London, where his father was a page to Catherine of Braganza. Stevens translated Don Quixote in 1700, and was editor of the British Mercury from 1712 to 1715)

London, 1699, Printed for Richard Sare.

Along with original manuscript on back of an 18th century envelope (remnants of its original seal) addressed to "Mr. Thomas Brydson" (possibly THOMAS BRYDSON, author of a 1795 book on heraldry) handwritten in ink with page references and notes to the book, likely written by the book's original owner.

FOLIO, 13.5 x 8.5", original hard boards, part only of original skin remaining, front board detached

PAGES : approximately 665, beginning with Dedication;

Mariana's History (in 30 books)through page 563;

"A Compendious Supplement" (years 1521-1615), by Mariana, paginated 1 - 34;

"The Second Supplement (years 1621-1649), pages 35 - 102
(some pagination irregularities, as noted by antiquarian book scholars; 10 unnumbreed index pages)

CONDITION OF PAGES : well-printed throughout, and characters preserved strong, distinct , legible throughout; pages darkened, some with edge wear, very few wih minor wormage

Early & Scarce; "An unsurpassable model in its own branch of literature (-Ramon Perez de Ayala, 1949), not only a rare early edition of an important work, but a great read and a great reference...........................................................................SOLD