Londinopolis;

Attractive copy of the first edition, illustrated by a nice view of London possibly by Wencenslaus Hollar, and a portrait in full of the author in a forest, engraved by the famous Abraham Bosse (1602-76).

A son of a clergyman, Howell (1594?-1666) carried out many different jobs (administrator for a glass manufacture, secretary and instructor to noble families, writer of pamphlets...) before being appointed Secretary of the Privy Council. The civil war prevented him from actually taking up the position and led him into jail in 1643 for eight years because of his royalist leanings. Once free again, he wrote 'Londinopolis', which is mostly a condensed version of John Stow's 'Survey of London published' in 1598.

'A catalogue of Mr. Howels works' occupies the last two pages.

First edition; 4to (27.4 x 18.5 cm); frontispiece portrait engraved by C. Melan and A. Bosse, double-page engraved plate, contemporary ownership inscription to reverse of frontispiece; nineteenth-century full calf, spine in six gilt ruled compartments with gilt lettering pieces, all edges speckled red, a very good copy; [10], 124, 301-407, [9] pp.

Adams 7; Pennington, Hollar 1012; Wing H3091.