PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY. HANDS (Several): The Parliamentary or Constitutional History of England; Being a Faithful Account Of all the Most remarkable Transactions in Parliament, From the earliest Times. Collected from the Journals of both Houses, the Records, original Manuscripts, scarce Speeches, and Tracts, all compared with the several Contemporary Writers, and connected, throughout, with the History of the Times. By Several Hands. , London, Printed; and sold by Thomas Osborne...and William Sandby... [inter alia], 1751 - 1761.

FIRST EDITION. 24 volumes. 8vo, 197 x 124 mms., recently rebound in blue-green buckram, light blue spines. A sturdy and usable set, but not in the most sympathetic binding. Although the work is attributed to that ubiquitous author, "Several Hands," the authors, editors, and compilers are usually named as Francis Drake (bap. 1696, d. 1771), antiquary and surgeon, and Caesar Ward (bap. 1710, d. 1759), the York bookseller and historian. Drake was primarily responsible for the first eight volumes, of which Ward, writing to Charles Lyttleton, then dean of Exeter, "I did little more than soften some Expressions; but the last ten was such a Skeleton of a History, that I can say, with great Truth, I have bestow'd as many Hours, at least, upon it as Mr. D. himself. I do not mean hereby to claim any Share of Honor as an Author—Profit is more suitable to the Circumstance of a Man who has a Wife & 6 Children; and You will please to observe that, by Agreement, I am to disburse the whole Charge of Paper & Print &c. And (this paid) we are to divide the Profits" (Ward to Lyttleton, 13 Jan 1755, BL, Stowe MSS; Oxford DNB). A second edition of the work was published in 1763. (Book ref. 6409 )  £ 600.00

The payment methods accepted by the seller, John Price Antiquarian Books , are shown in the right-hand column.

Click here to order

Back to search