[Petites Républiques]

AN APPEALING LITTLE COLLECTION PERFECT FOR ARMCHAIR TRAVEL

[ENGLAND.] Smith, Thomas. De republica Anglorum libri tres, Leiden, 1641 [16], 528, [12] p.

[SCOTLAND & IRELAND.] Respublica sive status regni Sctoiae and Hiberniae. Diversorum autorum [Buuchan, Hector Boethius, Camden]. 2 volumes (Scotland; Ireland) Leiden, 1627 (1630). 282, [2] p.

[FRANCE.] Gallia, sive de Francorum regis dominiis and opibus commentarius. Leiden, 1629. [16], 461p.

[DENMARK.] De regno Daniae and Norvegiae ... tractaus varii. [16], 447, [7] p.

[SWEDEN.] Suecia sive de Suecorum regis dominiis et opibus commentarius politicus. Leiden, 1633. [6], 306p.

[PERSIA.] Persia seu regni persici status. Varique itinera in atque per Persiam|: cum aliquot iconibus incolarum. Secunda editio. Leiden, 1647. [8], 362, [14]p.

[TURKEY.] Turcici imperii status. Accedit De regn. algeriano atque tunetano commentarius. Leiden, 1624. [8], 363, [5]p.,

Together 8 volumes. 16mo (105 x 50mm). Uniformly bound in 18th century English calf, upper and lower covers with simple gilt border, gilt edges, spine gilt in compartments with four raised bands, three compartments with simple gilt ornament, second compartment with green morocco label, third compartment with 'VOL' (though no volume number given), blue edges, green silk markers, marbled end-papers (minor blemishes to calf). 

Leiden, Elzevir, 

An appealing little collection of eight compact volumes. Uniformly bound and decorated in gilt, they bear the names of the regions they treat in gold on morocco labels, with ‘vol’ on the spines without specific numbers. In the present group are Turciae (Turkey), Persiae (Persia), Sueciae (Sweden), Daniae (treating Denmark and Norway), Scotiae (Scotland), Hiberniae (Ireland), Galliae (France), and Angliae (England). They form part of a series of 35 such pocket-volumes issued by Elzevir between 1625 and 1649, often known as the Republics (Respublicae) or Petites Républiques. These accessible volumes from Amsterdam seem perfect for armchair travel. Few complete sets exist in libraries, and there are only a handful of partial sets or single volumes, solely in Europe.  

 

They all have fully illustrated title pages relevant to the region discussed, except Hibernae, which seems to go with Scotiae(in whose title page it is mentioned). Three additional full-page illustrations in Persiae are of interest, at least one of which depicts the raiment of ‘maidens’ specifically. Additionally, of particular note are annotations on the last two pages of Sueciae, apparently by a staunch Catholic, who scribbles over phrases celebrating the Lutheran church, crosses out a listed line of Lutheran Archbishops of Uppsala, and adds a word in the margin that is probably pestim, Latin for ‘a plague’, ‘a pestilence’, or ‘a curse’.  

 

Provenance: each volume in the set has an armorial ex libriswith the Latin phrase non tergo sed facie(‘not from the back but at the face’—probably referring to bravery and straightforwardness), with the name ‘Baptist May’ beneath it. Baptist May (1629-1698) was a famous and extremely trusted courtier of king Charles II of England as Keeper of the Privy Purse (and Groom of the Bedchamber for the Duke of York). From their dates, and the evidence from another volume in the same collection (see the Quaritch Horace, described below) this bookplate is likely to belong not to this Baptist May, but to a younger Baptist May: a relative, listed as matriculating at Trinity College Cambridge in 1725 and being the son of a Charles (the son, or brother, of the first). There are several books recorded containing this armorial ex libris, including a set of four others from this series (Africae, Venetarum Rerum, Chinae, Barbaricae) in identical tan calf binding, with the apparently characteristic lack of volume number (this notable set is from Lot 1074, R. J. Hayhurst’s Library sale, Morphet’s (4thApril 2019)). Others include a copy of Horace’s Odes (listed at Quaritch, 2019; with a morocco book label stamped with Trinity College and the date of the younger May’s matriculation), and three other books in the travel/geographical genre (one came up at Arenberg Auctions in 2020, another at Sotheby’s in 1986). The coat of arms now belongs to the family of Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Henry May, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., to whom it was given in 1913 with the addition of three anchors.

Stock Code: 220167