Historical Antiquities, in Two Books. The First Treating in General of Great-Britain and Ireland. The Second Containing Particular Remarks Concerning Cheshire

The first edition of this important and early county history of Cheshire by Peter Leycester. The first edition.Collated, bound without the folding map, as is usual, and the final blank. With woodcut and engraved vignettes coats of arms in the text.Register runs as: [3], B-3D4, 3D-3I4, 3K3.'Historical Antiquities' is a major work by Peter Leycester. The first part explores the history of Britain and Ireland, whereas the second part focuses on Cheshire, where the author was from. This is one of the earliest county histories of Cheshire.This work did cause a controversy for Leycester. In it he raises the question of the legitimacy of the wife of Ralph Mainwaring, Amicia, and whether or not she was the lawful daughter of Earl Hugh Cyveliok. Leycester's claim led to a dispute with her descendant, Sir Thomas Mainwaring of Peover, and resulted in a paper war of some seventeen pamphlets. The dispute ended after the Chester assizes declared in favour of Amicia's legitimacy.Leycester was an antiquarian and historian, who fought on the royalist side during the English Civil War, which led to him being made a baronet. In a half calf binding with marbled paper to the boards, with renewed endpapers. Externally, smart. Light rubbing to the joints and extremities. Spine is faded. A few small marks and light rubbing to the boards. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean. Lacking the folding map, as is usual. The occasional pencil annotation to the margins. Small chip to leaf B1, no loss of text. Neat repair to leaf F4. Very Good.…