An Exposition with Practicall Observations continued upon the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Chapters of the Book of Job: being the Summe of Twenty three Lectures delivered at Magnus near the Bridge, London. [Rev. Lemuel Hedge/Hodge's copy, Warwick, Mass]

In many ways, we are offering this as a historical object, not reading material. This book was printed in 1653 and belonged to the Reverend Lemuel Hidges (sometimes written Hodges) who was the first pastor of Warwick, Massachusetts - a town on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border. The settlement there was formed in 1737 and called Gardner's Canada because land there was given to descendants of soldiers who fought in the 1690 Battle of Quebec. Because of American Indian resistance to the settlement there, it was not a safe place to live and it wasn't until 1760 that the town had enough residents to hire a Pastor. Lemuel Hedge, only 26 years old, was to come minister to the scant residents, and he must have brought this book with him. When the Revolutionary War began, Rev. Hedge spoke out against it, and the citizens of Warwick was chastised, and barred from leaving the town. Hedges died in 1777 and is buried in Warwick. I have seen his name written as Hedge, Hodge and Hidge. This book, in the remains of its original, full leather binding, has managed to survive another 241 years (so far). All the leather from the spine and front cover is gone, leaving just the book-board and sewn page edges. Leather remains on the rear cover. Front cover is attached by only one cord. Front endpaper detached but set neatly back in place. The name Joseph Mayo is signed on the front side. Joseph Mayo was a resident of Warwick and a Minuteman during the start Revolutionary War veteran who was at the Battle of Lexington. He later marched to Ft. Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen, and was in charge of the Fort for a time. He died in 1817. On the back side of this detached endpaper is a handwritten note, "This book belonged originally to the Red. Lemuel Hedge, the 1st pastor in Warwick, Mass." There are extensive reinforcing repairs to that side of the page. The name "M.A. Reed" is signed on one of the repairs. The title page has the name "Leml Hidge's book" at the top right. And the name "Richard Allen Day 1925" on the top left. Inside front cover has large bookplate with the name "Richard Allen Day" on it and image of a church. The book itself has survived, but is fragile. Text block appears to be complete. Pages toned and somewhat wavy. 538 pages plus unpaginated table. Paper is a bit brittle. Margins cut close, but no text missing. Measures 5.75 x 7.5 inches. The author wrote 12 volumes on the Book of Job. Please email with questions or to request photos. From Reformation England to the American wilderness before Independence in the hands of a 20-something Tory preacher, to my shelves - and soon to yours.…