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London: John Daye for Abraham Veale, and Nicholas England, 1560]. First edition in English, first issue. With the Colophon in the first issue state. Folio in sixes (10 1/2 x 7 1/8 inches; 267 x 182 mm). [5], ccccxliiii, ccccxlix-cccclxx, [17] leaves. A-Y? Aa-Yy?, AA-YY?, AAa-PPp? QQq3. Bound without blanks A6 and QQq4. From the translation of: "De statu religionis et reipublicae, Carolo Quinto Caesare, commentarii." Mostly printed in black letter. Armorial woodcut vignette to title-page. Seventeenth-century mottled calf. Recased. Spine stamped in gilt. Red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. All edges marbled. Spine label chipped. Newer endpapers. Title-page with small old ink signature to lower blank margin. One inch of lower margin of leaf Ttiii remargined, not affecting text. EEiiii with small hole on outer margin, not affecting text. NNni with a 3-inch closed tear, to text block, but with no loss of text. Some minimal finger smudging and some light dampstains to margins. Overall a very good copy. Sleidanus is known as the official historian of the Reformation, and this present copy being the first English edition of his original work published in 1555. "Sleidan's key role in some of the events he described, his friendships with many of the protagonists of his history and his access to important Protestant archives enabled him to write the first comprehensive history of the Reformation. His "De statu religionis et reipublicae, Carolo Quinto Caesare, commentarii," the Commentaries on the state and religion under the Emperor Charles V, first published in 1555, was an immediate bestseller- until 1560 no fewer than 48 edition of the Commentaries in six languages had been published. The Commentaries provide the first account of the history of the Protestant Church from Luther's 95 theses in 1517 until the Diet of Augsburg in 1555. Overnight they became the manual of early reformation history, and would remain so until well into the nineteenth and early twentieth century." (Johan Sleidan and the Protestant Vision of History, Alexandra Kess). ESTC S115934. STC 19848. HBS 67829. $7,500. Seller Inventory # 67829
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