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An extremely scarce copy of this anthology of war poems by the noted Elizabethan poet, Michael Drayton. A first edition thus, being the first edition of these poems together under this title. Part I is an extensively revised edition of Drayton's important poem 'Mortimeriados', part II is a reissue with quire A cancelled, of the 1602 edition of 'England's Heroicall Epistles' and it includes the sonnet sequence 'Idea'. 'Mortimeriados' deals with the Civil wars in the reign of Edward II and the Wars of the Roses. It was recast for this edition. Scholars believe that Marlowe's 'Edward II' inspired this work. This edition of 'Mortimeriados' is in ottava rima and was more serious in tone compared to the first edition, as well as being several hundred lines longer.Prior owner's inscriptions to the recto of front endpaper, 'Ex Libris H Inglis Richmond 1894'. Extremely scarce.This particular copy has been formed from two separate copies of the work. Page 97 (2A-2H where this work ends) is larger in size due to not being trimmed. A prior owner's inscriptions dates this section as 1605, although there is no bibliographic record on the ESTC or LibraryHub for a 1605 edition. However, it is clear that this copy is slightly different in collation to the ESTC cited and EEBO copies of this work. Collated, this copy with the signatures: BM8, N7, O8, P3, Q-T8, V6, 2A7, 2B1 (half), 2B4 (half), 2B5 (half), 2C1-3 (only half), 2C6, 2C8 (half), 2D-2H8. Although signature P only has 3 leaves, the pagination and catch-words are continuous implying that this gathering is not lacking any leaves. Therefore, lacking: A1-4, N8, V7, V8, X-Z8, 2A8, 2B2-2B3, 2C4-2C5, 2C7, Lacking the top half of 2B1, 2B4 2C1, and 2C8. Bottom half of 2B5, 2B6-2B8, 2C2-2C3, 2A7 is misbound after 2A2. The collation of this book differs slightly to the copy on the ESTC. This copy is lacking the conclusion.A very scarce collection of late Elizabethan poetry. Textblock is disbound, and therefore loosely inserted to the calf binding. B1 and B2 are detached but present. B3-Z6 are bound as one textblock with 2A-2H bound as a second textblock. M4 and M5 are detached but present. Worming to the margins throughout, only affecting the occasional letter. Damp staining throughout, light enough to not affect the readability of text. Occasional chips to extremities. Occasional light spots to pages. Good Only.
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