Blandy, The castle, or picture of pollicy, London, 1581, modern red morocco

BLANDY, WILLIAM

The castle, or picture of pollicy shewing forth most lively, the face, body and partes of a commonwealth, the duety quality, profession of a perfect and absolute souldiar, the martiall feates encounters and skirmishes lately done by our English nation. London: John Daye, 1581

FIRST EDITION, 4to (178 x 130mm.), modern red morocco by Riviere & Son, faint inscriptions to title and throughout, minor staining, some leaves shaved at head

RARE: we have found no sale records for this work, in which "Blandy reflected on the accomplishments of the English troops in the Low Countries during the emergence of the Dutch republic. Although he was a believing Catholic, Blandy opted to support English interests in the Low Countries and so, paradoxically, played an active part in the eventual elimination of Catholic worship in the provinces of the Dutch union by spring 1580" (ODNB).

LITERATURE:

Cockle 27; ESTC S104609 (listing 6 copies); STC 3128

PROVENANCE:

purchased from Pickering & Chatto, 7 February 1905, £8-8s