A Collection of Curious Discourses written by Eminent Antiquaries upon several heads in our English Antiquities. (2 volumes)
by
Thomas Hearne (ed.)

 DETAILS: (London): Printed for Benjamin White, 1775. New edition. Contemporary gilt decorated leather binding, with marbled endpapers. viii, [6], lxxi, [1], 354; [6], 449, [15]pp. Illustrated with 1 folding engraved plate. 8vo (standard sized books). This is a heavy item weighing over 1.25kg with packaging.

CONDITION: Very Good to Near Fine (see table below for details). Both volumes: A little rubbing to boards and spines. Bookplates to front endpaper and fly leaf. Some offsetting to first and last few pages. Small stains to front and rear pages of Volume 1, no text affected. A little sunning to pages, otherwise text in very nice condition. *Photo(s) given of actual book.

CONTENTS: "Together with Mr. Thomas Hearne's preface and appendix to the former edition. To which are added a great number of antiquary discourses written by the same author, most of them now first published from the original manuscripts." A collection of historical essays on a variety of subjects, often with multiple essays on the same topic. They include:

(Volume 1) - The antiquities of the laws of this land; Of sterling money; Of what antiquity shires were in England; Of the antiquity and etymology of terms and times for administration of justice in England; Of the diversity of names in this island; Of the antiquity of arms in England; Of the duty and office of an herald at arms; Of the etymology, antiquity, and privileges of castles in England; Of the antiquities of ceremonies used at funerals; Of the antiquity, variety, and reason of motts with arms of noblemen and gentlemen in England;

(Volume 2) - The antiquity, authority, and succession of the High Steward of England; The antiquity and office of the Constable of England; The antiquity and office of the Earl Marshal of England; Of the antiquity, use, and ceremony of lawful combats in England; Duello Foiled, or the whole proceedings for single fight, by occasion whereof the unlawfulness and wickedness of a Duello is preparatively disputed, according to the rules of honour and right reason; Camera Stellata; or, an explanation of the most famous Court of Star Chamber.

The last 60 pages are Hearne's appendix, with pieces including: Sir James Whitlock's epitaph; Mr Camden's will; A note of the Divinity School and Library in Oxford; A short account of John Morwen, or Morenus, Fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford; Members of the Society of Antiquaries in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, with some account of their lives and writings.

There is a single plate at the beginning of the text in Volume 1 - an attractive folding plate of King Edward the Confessor's Chapel at Islip. Aside from some offsetting to the first and last few pages of each volume, and some minor marginal staining to the first and last few pages in Volume 1, this is a lovely set. It is beautifully bound in full leather, with gilt decoration to the boards and spines, and marbled endpapers. A highly collectable set.