The Antiquities Of Warwickshire Illustrated; From Records, Leiger-Books, Manuscripts, Charters, Evidences, Tombes, and Armes…

London: Printed for John Osborn and Thomas Longman…sold also by Robert Gosling, and William Ratten, 1730., 1730. 2 Volumes. folio. pp. 3 p.l., x, [4]list of subscribers, 640; 2 p.l., 641-1153, [1]blank, [30]indices. titles in red & black. etched frontis. portrait of Dugdale by Wenceslaus Hollar, 19 engraved plates by Hollar & Beighton (mostly double-page; incl. 12 views), & 3 (of 5) double-page engraved maps (lacking maps of Knightlow Hundred in Vol. I & Barlichway Hundred in Vol. II). c187 etchings by Hollar & others in the text, depicting costume, seals, tombs, coats of arms, &c. woodcut ornaments & initials. contemporary sprinkled calf, rebacked (corners worn, light foxing to outer leaves, dampstain to frontis. & first few leaves in Vol. I, Vol. II lacking rear free-endpaper). gilt crest on upper cover of the Duke of Portland. Second Edition, revised, enlarged, and continued by William Thomas. "In "Dugdale’s archaeological and topographical masterpiece, on which so many county histories have been modelled" (DNB) was first published in 1656. "The bulk of the volume consists of pedigrees and histories of county families, in conjunction with accounts of the places where they were settled, and of religious and charitable foundations and their founders, all of them remarkable for general accuracy, and accompanied by constant references to authorities. Jeremy Taylor, acknowledging a presentation copy, spoke of the volume as ‘very much the best of anything that ever I saw in that kind’; and Anthony à Wood…could not find language adequate to describe how his ‘tender affections and insatiable desire of knowledge was ravished and melted down by the reading of that book.’" (Ibid.) Lowndes considered this work "the chef-d’œvre of Sir William", and quoted Gough’s comments: "it must stand at the head of all our county histories . There are works, which scrupulous accuracy, united with stubborn integrity, has elevated to the rank of legal evidence. Such is Dugdale’s Warwickshire!" The work is handsomely illustrated with most of the etchings done by Wenceslaus Hollar. Upcott III p. 1259.. Signed by Author(s).