Rerum Scoticarum Historia, libris XX (1624)

An early edition of George Buchanan's monumental history of Scotland

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

Hardback, full leather (boards detached), four raised bands to the spine. 17.5 × 10.5cm, 767pp, [105], index. Latin text.

Rerum Scoticarum Historia (History of Scotland) is Scottish Renaissance humanist, scholar, and tutor to King James VI, George Buchanan's monumental history. Completed shortly before his death and published in Edinburgh in 1582, it served for over two centuries as the definitive account of Scottish history across Europe. The history is written in 20 books (chapters) tracing Scotland’s history from its legendary, mythical beginnings under King Fergus down to Buchanan’s own contemporary era.

As is usual, the history of followed by Buchanan's De Jure Regni apud Scotos Dialogue (Dialogue on the Law of Kingship among the Scots), his political treatise written in the form of a dialogue, arguing for a constitutional monarchy and popular sovereignty, asserting that political power derives from the people and that a king who turns into a tyrant can be lawfully deposed or brought to account.

Condition

Fair. Both boards are detached, as is the title page with marginal loss. The gutter to the first three or pages shows surface wear. The main body of text is in good condition, with secure binding. The pages age-toned as would be expected, grubbier to the last few pages of the index. Occasional and infrequent marginalia. However, am early printing of this monumental history.