Barclay (John) Barclay his Argenis. Or, The Loves of Polyarchus & Argenis, second edition in English, translated by Kingsmill Long, pictorial engraved title, numerous full-page engraved illustrations including portrait of the author, woodcut initials, final blank and rear free endpaper with manuscript index in an early hand, title and few other Sig. little frayed at margins, D3 small burn-hole affecting few letters, occasional very small worming, mainly marginal but affecting couple letters to Sig. 2G, occasional spotting or light staining, obscuring few letters to D4v-D5, some small marginal damp-staining and light browning, contemporary calf, spine with raised bands, scattered worm holes to upper cover, rubbed, [STC 1392.5], small 4to, [E. Purslowe] for Henry Seile, 1636.

⁂ Barclay's most important work, an allegory of seventeenth century European politics that touched on both Sidney's Arcadia and More's Utopia. The illustrations are by Claude Mellan and Leonard Gaultier, first used in the French edition of 1623.

Provenance: Thomas Darell his Book 1649; Mr Charles Carow (ownership inscriptions to front free endpapers).