Author: V[erstegan], R[ichard].
Title: A RESTITVTION OF DECAYED INTELLIGENCE: In antiquities. Concerning the most noble, and renowned English nation. By the study, and travell of R.V. Dedicated unto the Kings most excellent Majesty.
Description: London : Printed by Iohn Norton, for Ioyce Norton, and Richard Whitaker, and are to be sold, at the Kings Armes, in S. Pauls-Church-yard, 1634. 3rd Edition. Sm. 4to. 7 x 5 inches. [24], 338, [12] p. [Lacking blank to rear]. Title page in red and black and with engraved vignette (torn and creased at gutter hinge and with tear to fore-edge), dec. initial letters, 10 textual engravings, dec. devices. Several leaves shaved to head affecting running title, several leaves with minor closed tears, some browning, with the signature of ‘R. Hesley of Alweston ...’ to pastedown, early calf, some minor wear and marking, gilt ruled raised bands and lacking title title to repaired spine with sl. loss to head and tail. ¶ STC (2nd ed.), 21363; ESTC S1162599; Verstegan covers the early history of Britain upto the Norman conquest, the development of the English Language with a glossary of Saxon words, the origins of English names and titles, ranks of offices and occupations. Richard Verstegan [formerly Rowlands], (c.1550–1640), writer and intelligence informant. ‘... From March 1587 Verstegan lived in Antwerp. From 1590 until 1603 he worked as a publishing and intelligence agent for the superiors of the English mission, William Allen in Rome and Robert Persons in Spain. He maintained communications between them and the missionaries in England, arranged passports and the smuggling of books, bought books in Flanders for the seminaries in Spain, and oversaw the printing of numerous English Catholic works in Antwerp. He continued to write polemical and martyrological works, including, most importantly, answers to the 1591 proclamation against Jesuits and seminary priests. He also produced devotional translations (among them the first English translation of the Tridentine primer), religious verse, and a seminal work of Anglo-Saxon scholarship, [the above first published in Antwerp in 1605], about which he corresponded with Sir Robert Cotton. He edited or contributed to several of the political works generally attributed to Robert Persons. His writings in these years were a cause of great concern to the authorities in England, and did much to shape the perception of Queen Elizabeth's policies on the continent ...’ ODNB.

Keywords: HISTORY; HISTORY


See more books from our catalog: HISTORY: HISTORY