The firste volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande ... / Faithfully gathered and set forth, by Raphaell Holinshed.

(from t.p.'s) [Vol. 1] Conteyning the description and chronicles of England from the first inhabiting vnto the conquest -- The description and chronicles of Scotland from the first originall of the Scottes nation till the yeare of our Lorde 1571 -- The description and chronicles of Yrelande, likewise from the first originall of that nation vntill the yeare 1547 -- [Vol. 2] Conteyning the chronicles of Englande from William Conquerour vntill this present tyme.

The compilation of the Chronicles was begun by Reyner Wolfe, and completed by Holinshead with the assistance of William Harrison and Richard Stanyhurst.

Vol. 1: [8], 124 [i.e. 126], [1] leaves, 289, [1]; [8], 518, [26] p., [2], 28 leaves, 115, [9] p.; v. 2: [4], 291-659, 700-981, 990-1592, [2], 1593-1876; [104] p., [1] folded leaf of plates.

Vol. 1 leaf 126 misnumbered 124.

At head of all t.p.s: '1577'; at foot of all t.p.s: 'God saue the Queene'.

Vol. 1: 'The historie of Englande' (caption title) begins new register and pagination. 'The historie of Scotlande' has separate title page, pagination, and register. 'The historie of Irelande ... vnto the yeare 1509. Collected by Raphaell Holinshed, and continued till the yeare 1547. by Richard Stanyhurst' has separate title page, foliation and register.

Vol. 2: has title: 'The laste volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande'. A leaf foliated 1593 is inserted after p. 1592. 'A table seruing vnto both parts of the Chronicles of England' (caption title) has separate register.

T.p.s within decorated woodcut border, text printed in black letter in double columns. Tail pieces and decorated initials, some with vignettes.

Errata leaf appended to vol. 1: 'Faultes and ouer sightes escaped in the printing of the Hystorie of Scotlande'.

Errata leaves in vol. 2 bound in after p. 1876: 'Faultes and ouersightes escaped in the printing of the first part of the English historie before the Conquest'.

Includes index.

Text pages watermarked with pot and hand marks (similar to Heawood 2495 and 2521).

STC (2nd ed.), 13568, 13568b

English short title catalogue, s121346

Oldham, J.B. Blind-stamped bindings, HM a (6) 775

binding Digital image. Wellington, N.Z. : National Library of New Zealand, 2006

Alexander Turnbull Library copy exhibited ; qREng HOLI First 1577a (343598) : Simple to Sumptuous: Bookbindings 1450 to the Present. 5 April - 19 July 2008

Binding: contemporary calf over wooden boards, blind tooled. Vol. 1 has central roll-tooled lozenge (Oldham HM a(6) 775) within a roll-tooled rectangle (heads in medallions), all contained within a fillet border. Vol. 2 has same design but with the roll tools used for lozenge and rectangle exchanged. Both vols. have engraved brass centre bosses, corner pieces and remains of clasps. Spine with raised bands, blind tooled; red morocco spine labels, gold tooled. Endpapers of vol. 1 watermarked with fleur-de-lis and foolscap; endpapers of vol. 2 watermarked with kneeling saint (Briquet 7628)(Fabriano papermill). Spine title: Holinshed's chronicles. Provenance: armorial stamp on verso of all t.p.s (possibly from member of Harris of Hayne dynasty); Chippendale armorial bookplate of C. Harris Esq. Haine, with motto: Kar deu es res pub tra (Franks 13844). Complete copy includes leaves in Historie of Irelande, cancelled in some copies, concerning rebellion of Gerald Fitzgerald. Acc. 343598-343599.

Digital image available: binding, Alexander Turnbull Library Rare Book copy. Details on request from Curator, Rare Books and Fine Printing