Estate / Collection: The Esmond Bradley Martin Collection

HERBERT, THOMAS

A Relation Of Some Yeares Travaile Begunne Anon 1626. Into Afrique and the greater Asia, especially the Territories of the Persian Monarchie: and some parts of the Orientall Indies, and Iles adiacent. London: Will[iam] Stansby & Jacob Bloome, 1634.1634. Period brown calf ruled in blind, edges sprinkled red.11 1/4 x 7 3/8 inches (28.5 x 19 cm); [10], 225, [1], [14] pp.; collating [A]6 B-2H4. Extra-engraved title-page by William Marshall, with thirty-six engraved illustrations and maps in text. Some wear and staining to binding, a few worm-holes; internally a few pages dust-soiled or stained, marginal teat to E4, in all a generally clean copy. Old book stamp of Sir Walter John Trevalyan (8th Baronet of Nettlecombe) High Sherrif of Cornwall.

An attractive and rather large copy in what appears to be its first binding, this includes an illustration of a dodo on p.212. The work is based on first-person experience, as Herbert accompanied the mission led by Sir Dodmore Cotton to the court of the King of Persia, which arrived in the Persian Gulf in January 1627-8. Cotton died in July of the same year, but Herbert continued his travels, making an extensive survey of the kingdom. He finally returned to England at the end of 1629, after sailing close to North America. As a result, there is a final chapter of American interest, which includes an account of the purported discovery of America by Madoc ap Owen Gwynedd. "The analogies in language which the author gives to prove the identification of Cymric words in Mexican names is entirely fanciful [see p. 222]. Nor are the manners and customs of the North American Indians... of any account as evidences of a Welsh colony in America." Alden & Landis 634/68; ESTC s119687 Cox I, 248. Ghani 176 ("One of the best early Western books on Persia.") Sabin 31471. Wilson 94. Taylor 1552.

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