FOURE BOOKES OF HUSBANDRY, Collected by M. Conradus Heresbacius, Councellor to the high and mightie Prince, the Duke of Cleve: Conteyning the whole Arte and Trade of Husbandry,

London, printed for John Wright, 1578.. TITLE CONTINUED: with the antiquitie, and commendations thereof. Newely English, and increased, by Barnabe Googe, Esquire. SECOND ENGLISH EDITION 1578, translated by Barnabe Googe, first published in 1577. 8vo, approximately 190 x 130 mm, 7½ x 5 inches. LACKS ALL 11 leaves of PRELIMS, TEXT STARTS ON PAGE 1, TITLE PAGE AND FINAL 2 LEAVES IN FACSIMILE, GATHERING F (8 LEAVES i.e. pages 41-48) INSERTED FROM A SMALLER BLACK LETTER COPY. Full page woodcut armorial coat of arms on verso title page, small text illustration on verso page 130, and a few pictorial initials, mostly printed in black letter. Leaves: 1-193 [1], some mispagination, collation and all catchwords correct, printed side notes, the last 2 leaves in facsimile: 1 on bees, the other on Olde English Rules for Purchasing Land, Colophon on verso, rebound in pale brown buckram at sometime, gilt title and date to spine, new cream endpapers, edges stained red. First leaf damaged at head and repaired with loss of words to verso, missing words inked in, closed tears repaired to page 54 with document repair tape, a few words difficult to read, tiny rust hole to page 172 with loss to one word recto and verso, hole to page 41 in the reduced size section with slight loss of words to 2 lines, and top margin trimmed affecting running title, with slight loss of text, many pages with small nicks to outer margin, 2 have neat repairs, not affecting text, several tips of corners missing not affecting text, many pages have ink marginalia, several pages at rear have pale staining to lower corners, occasional other minor spot or small stain, ink note to first endpaper, a fair to good copy. The four books cover arable farming, including harvest; gardens and orchards; cattle and other livestock, including veterinary matters; plus bees, poultry and fish.There are 40 pages on bees at rear, 173-193, See: British Bee Books A Bibliography 1500-1976, page 38, No.9; Rachel Hunt, Catalogue of Botanical Books, Volume 1, page 116, No.108, listing the first Latin edition; Science Museum Library, Historic Books on Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, The Comben Collection by Pauline Dingley, page 88; Donald McDonald, Agricultural Writers 1200-1800, pages 46-48; Mary Aslin, Catalogue of Books on Agriculture 1471--1840, pages 269-270; Fussel, Volume 1, The Old English Farming Books 1523-1730, pages 12-13; ESTC S103974. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.