The History and the Life of King Henry the Second and of the Age in Which he lived in Five Books To which is prefixed a History of the Revolutions of England

London: J Dodsley, 1767-71. First edition. Leather. Good. 11.5" by 9.5". none. Two volumes from George Lyttelton's biographical work on King Henry II. In lovely contemporary bindings, this comprehensive work looks at this esteemed monarch. Lacking volume II, and IV, being volumes I and III only. Therefore only lacking one volume of the actual text. Volume IV was a subsequent volume of notes. ESTC No. T79258. With the bookplate of the Earl of Guilford, Lord North to the front pastedown. Frederick North was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770-1782. He spent his youth at Wroxton Abbey,Wiltshire, which is mentioned to this bookplate. This work is likely to have been Frederick North's or it may have been his son, George North's. George North was the third Earl Guildford. He was also a politician who represented several constituencies. This work also has the bookplate of Thomas Tudor Loveday, Principal of Southampton University College and then Vice Chancellor of the University of Bristol. These two volumes detail the life and politics of Henry II of England. Henry ruled as King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Anjou, Maine and Nantes, and Lord of Ireland. He also had some control of Scotland, Wales and the Duchy of Brittany at various points of his life. George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton wrote this work. He was a major patron of the arts who played a leading role in the development of landscape design in the 18th century. He supported the likes of Pope and Fielding in their works and was friends with James Thomson and Joseph Warton. In full calf bindings. Externally, generally smart. Small loss to the tail of volume III. Joints to both volumes are cracked with the hinges slightly strained but firm. Prior owners' bookplates to the front pastedowns, Earl of Guilford and Thomas Tudor Loveday. Internally, both volumes are firmly bound. Pages are generally bright with scattered spotting to pages. Good