The Lamentable and Tragicall Historie of the Wars and utter Ruine of the Jews
( Thomas LODGE, trans. ) JOSEPHUS, Flavius
Comprised in Seven Bookes and newly translated out of the Latin, and French, into English, by Thomas Lodge
APPARENTLY AN UNRECORDED VARIANT?
Published: Printed on Bread-street Hill at the Sign of the Starre, 1609
Stock code: 37081
Price: £2,650.00
Sm. folio in sixes, with wood-engraved title-vignette and several fine wood-engraved head- and tail-pieces throughout; seventeenth century calf, expertly rebacked in calf to style, back with five raised bands, second compartment with original red leather label ruled and lettered in gilt, boards moderately age-marked, corners strengthened, a very good, bright, crisp copy.
With nineteenth century inscription on front paste-down and corresponding signature on title. The work comprises: (1) A Historie in twenty books, wherein the Antiquity of the Jews is discovered; (2) Seven Books of the Wars of the Jews; (3) Two Books against Appion the Grammarian, in Justification of the Antiquity of the Jews; (4) A Book as touching the memorable Martyrdom of the Machabees; (5) Josephus Life. Written by himself. [Note that the composition of the work differs; the printed order is 1-5-2-3-4]. APPARENTLY AN UNRECORDED VARIANT. The style of the title is similar to Allison 7 (see plate 8): this copy carries the same text but with considerable variations in typography, and the title-vignette (McKerrow 335) is unframed. IMPERFECTIONS: THIS COPY WANTS THE GENERAL TITLE, DEDICATION TO LORD HOWARD OF EFFINGHAM, AND PP.3-10 (4 leaves); it retains Lodge's dedication to Anthony Palmer and his address 'To the Courteous Reader'. This copy also retains the misprinted pages (715-716 for 719-720; 522 for 555) of Allison 7. In the absence of the general title it is difficult to be certain, but it appears to be a variant dated 1609 but conforming more closely to the first edition of 1602. VERY SCARCE.