London : Printed by John Haviland, and are to be sold by Robert Bostock at his shop at the signe of the Kings head in Pauls Church-yard. 1630. First Edition,
Small 4to, Eng. title, signed “Ro: Vaughan fecit”, folding letterpress “A Draught of the Frontispice” (sic), ❡2,❡4, A-Z, Aa-Zz, Aaa-Mmm4, Nnn3, lacking blank Nnn4, faint waterstain to the top of most leaves, ink smudge on Tt1, finely bound in tan morocco, broad gilt borders on sides and fully gilt spine, a.e.g, by Riviere, signed on b/l corner of verso of front fly, Ex libris of Dr. & Mrs H. R. Knohl on front pastedown. A good copy.
The first edition of one of the most important of all English courtesy books. This is the first issue, before the addition of the section “Three Choice Characters of Marriage” at the end.
“Although his prolific output has not gained much critical or popular attention since his lifetime, Brathwaite's œuvre is of growing importance as evidence of a gentleman's literary activity in the seventeenth century as well as of particular approaches to social and political issues”. - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
The dictionary credits him with the earliest use [1613] of the word ‘computer’, meaning an arithmetician.
ESTC S104636 ( Newberry/Courtesy Books 207)