My Oldest Books

Venice, 1572 

My earliest book, a book of quotable classical quotations, published in Venice in 1572. 'At the Sign of the Sower'. I bought this almost by accident on Italian eBay, as I made unknowingly a very high bid, because of the difference between a comma and a full stop in writing a price, but luckily I was not bid against.

Old and New testaments with Apocrypha, and psalms for singing, 1632

Dugdale's 'Monasticon', 1673. The Addenda.

I have two volumes of Dugdale's 'Monasticon', of different dates, reflecting my interest in the history of monastic dress.

A 1760 edition of 'Foxe's Book of Martyrs'. It was first published in 1563.

Edmund Calamy's two-volume autobiography. The 1829 edition,

Edmund Calamy was a Nonconformist minister, much influenced by Baxter whose work he edited, continued and promoted.

John Walker's book is a response to Calamy, detailing the experiences of the Anglican clergy as opposed to the Nonconformist clergy during the Civil War.

The third edition of William Camden's 'Britannia', published in 1753, in two volumes. All the engravings have been removed from my copy.

Sir Matthew Hale was quoted in the Bideford witchcraft trials booklets. Thomas Gent the printer of York owned a copy of this book. This copy was printed in 1682, the year of the Bideford trials.

Printed in 1796, this late edition testifies to the enduring popularity of this work which first appeared in this form in 1684.

First published in 1724, Gilbert Burnet's account of the history of England through the Civil War, Commonwealth, restoration and Glorious Revolution. My volume covers the latter part of the reign of Charles II and of James II.

First published 1702-1704, I have acquired several volumes of the Earl of Clarendon's 'History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars...'.

Rapin de Thoyras' 'History of England' was first published in 1724.

Rapin de Thoyras 'Acta regia'; the first edition of 1726, the first volume.

Roger North's biography of his brother Francis North, published in 1742, was of interest to me because Lord North was involved in the trial of the Bideford witches.

John Bacon's 'Liber Regis', published in 1786, is a detailed thesaurus of ecclesiastical Britain.

This 1767 edition of Josephus's 'Wars of the Jews' is of interest for being printed in Manchester.

A school text book of 1714, very much in the style of similar volumes printed by Thomas Gent.

A parallel text of 1750, probably for educational use in schools.

A best seller of the late eighteenth century, the life of Bamfylde-Moore Carew, first published in 1745. My edition was printed in 1793.

Ptinted and published in 1753 by Andrew Brice of Exeter. Written by the Rev. James Salter, my copy belonged to his great grandson, William Barclay of Liverpool in 1903.

Another volume printed by Andrew brice of Exeter, in 1726.

John Prince's 'Worthies of Devon' was first published in 1701. I bought this copy in Loughton.

James Thomson's 'The Seasons' was first published in its entirety in 1730, and was popular and influential. My edition was printed in 1797.

This is another Thomas Gent, of Great Yarmouth, and as far as I know not a relation of my family. 'Poetic Sketches' was published in 1808. His 'Poems' were published in 1828. Both my volumes have dedications by the author to the recipients.