The Seconde Part of the Mirrour for Magistrates, Conteining the Falles of the Infortunate Princes of This Lande. From the Conquest of Cæsar, Unto the Comyng of Duke William the Conqueror

[London]: Imprinted [by Thomas Dawson for] Richard Webster, 1578. First edition. Title-page with woodcut architectural border (McKerrow 161), woodcut initials. [vi], 66 ff. Collation: *^4 **^2 A-Q^4 R^2. 12mo. Full period style calf, covers with blind-ruled borders, red morocco spine label. Title trimmed with some loss to border, fore-edge margin of **1 and lower margin of A1 torn away and mended, with some loss to text, toned and stained throughout. First edition. Title-page with woodcut architectural border (McKerrow 161), woodcut initials. [vi], 66 ff. Collation: *^4 **^2 A-Q^4 R^2. 12mo. The first and only separate edition of the "Seconde Part" of this important Tudor sourcebook, being a continuation of John Higgins' "First Parte," published first in 1574, itself a prequel to William Baldwin's "Last Part," first published in 1559. Thus this edition fills the gap chronologically between the Higgins first part (which ends with the birth of Christ) and Baldwin's last part (which begins in the 14th century), and includes the stories of Guidericus, Carassus, Helena, Vortiger, Uther Pendragon, and others. The Higgins and Baldwin parts were published by Thomas Marshe, who was not involved in this printing. The Pforzheimer catalogue notes that this is the only work to bear Richard Webster's name in the imprint: "In this instance his role was that of publisher for the volume was printed by Dawson, possibly with the aid of his partner, Thomas Gardiner. There is reason, therefore, to doubt that Webster was a printer." Although not particularly rare in institutional holdings, this Seconde Part has appeared infrequently on the market — the last copy at auction was the Robert Pirie copy, lacking a signature, which sold for $4,750. ESTC S104601; Grolier, Langland to Wither 177; Pforzheimer 736. Provenance: Robert Truelove (contemporary inscription on verso of ff. [vi], some marginalia)