THE ENGLISH HUSBANDMAN contayning the knowledge of the true nature of euery soyle within this kingdome: how to plow it; and the manner of the plough, and other instruments belonging thereto. MARKHAM, Gervase. tick

TITLE CONTINUED: Together with the art of planting, grafting, and gardening after our latest and rarest fashion. A worke never written before by any author: and now newly compiled for the benefit of this kingdome. By G.M. FIRST EDITION 1613, two volumes. FIRST VOLUME: Title page, Dedication leaf and Epistle leaf, A Former Art of the English Husbandman followed by the First and Second parts of the English Husbandman. Small 4to, 180 x 140 mm, 7¼ x 5½ inches, 39 woodcut illustrations in the text of varying sizes, 1 image showing the first architectural model with explanation, of a plain country man's house to appear in print, headpieces and decorative initials, pages: [76], 1-132, ink numbers omitted on pages 4, 5, 8, signatures: [par.] , A-I4, B-R4, S . Bound in contemporary limp vellum with binding cord in inner margins, ink title to spine, large engraved bookplate of the Bridgewater Library to first pastedown and the Old East India House bookplate of Piene Boise to rear pastedown. Lacks first and last blank leaves, vellum crinkled, soiled and showing wear, with neat narrow repairs to outer edges of both covers (see attached image), title page lightly dusty with pale strip of browning to outer edge, due to the vellum missing before the repair, lower corner tip of title page missing and small thin repair to outer edge, ink number to outer margin, following 2 leaves lightly dusty, small repair to top corner of last leaf, small dusty marks to top corners of last 3 pages, small hole in 1 margin not affecting text (paper fault), 1 brown spot with tiny pin hole, occasional fox spot and tiny edge repair, otherwise text clean, a very good copy housed in a black leather case with pull-off top, with gilt title and date to spine. This copy has the variant title page with the shop address ending in Church-yard, not Fleetstreete. Chapters on agriculture, ploughing, farming machines, gardens, kitchen gardens, nature of soil, hops, vines, fruit trees, grafting. SECOND VOLUME: FIRST PART ONLY of the second Book of the English Husbandman: Containing the Ordering of the Kitchin-garden and the planting of strange Flowers. LACKING TITLE PAGE, FOLLOWING 3 LEAVES OF TABLES, AND THE SECOND PART: THE PLEASURES OF PRINCES (all on sport). Facsimile title page inserted, small 4to, 185 x 140 mm, 7¼ x 5½ inches, pages: [8], 1-105, pages 103 and 105 misnumbered as 203 and 205, bound in full plain modern vellum with silk ties. Top margins trimmed with loss to running titles, pale staining throughout, leaving tide marks, heavier at rear, all text legible, paper slightly soft to outer edges, 2 leaves at end have small repairs to lower inner margins not affecting text, bottom of facsimile title page trimmed with loss to publisher and date stabholes in inner margins. Poor copy, these 2 Volumes were not issued as a pair. The Bridgewater Library was a family library begun by Thomas Egerton, 1st Viscount Brackley and added to by his son John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater and John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater. The library now forms the core of the Elizabethan and early Stuart collection at the Huntington Library. See: ESTC S112063; F.N.L. Poynter, A Bibliography of Gervase Markham 1568-1637, pages 116-121, No. 21; Agricultural Writers by Donald McDonald, page 201; Mary S. Aslin, Catalogue of the Printed Books on Agriculture, 1471-1840, page 86, listing the 1635 edition. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE, FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.