A New and Universal History of England, from the Earliest Authentic Accounts, to the End of the Year 1770

An early edition of William Henry Montague's very scarce history of England, embellished with copper plates throughout. A very scarce example of this work, determined as the second edition based on Jisc and ESTC records which indicate the first edition to be dated 1771 to the title pages. Folio. Complete in two volumes. Undated, dated from numerous copies held institutionally, including the British Library, as well as ESTC No.T111489 Uniformly bound in half calf, with marbled paper covered boards and red morocco spine labels. Renewed endpapers, bound without blanks. Illustrated with frontispieces and 113 of the 119 copper plates, the folding map of which has loss. Collated against a copy from previous auction. An extensive history of the country spanning from earliest records to 1770, giving an accurate description of all the battles, sieges, sea-fights and other important events. With an account of England's origins, its government, laws and revolutions, as well as notable discoveries, illustrious personages and the Kings and Queens. The author, William Henry Montague, has very little information about him online, but we can gather he was a lawyer from his authorship. Uniformly bound in half calf, with marbled paper covered boards and red morocco spine labels. Renewed endpapers. Externally, with rubbing to the extremities, resulting in lifting to the calf and loss to Vol I head of spine. With loss to the marbled boards to Vol I. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are generally bright and clean, with the occasional light spots. Worming running through the lower margin of the first few leaves of Volume II and the last few leaves of Volume I, not affecting text. Contemporary ownership inscriptions to the title pages. Minor loss to the one of Vol II's plates, not affecting the illustration itself, and loss near the inner margin of Vol I title page. Loss to the folding map facing p. 56. Good.…