The History of the World, in Five Books. The First, Intreating of the Beginning and first Ages of the same, from the Creation unto Abraham. The Second, Of the Times from the Birth of Abraham to the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. The Third, From the destruction of Jerusalem to the time of Philip of Macedon. The Fourth, From the Reign of Philip of Macedon, to the establishing of that Kingdom in the Race of Antigonus. The Fifth, From the settled Rule of Alexander s Successours in the East, until the Romans (prevailing over all) made Conquest of Asia and Macedon. Whereunto is added in this Edition, the Life and Tryal of the Author. - Sir Walter Raleigh, John Shirley 1677 - Printed for Robert White, London - Tenth Folio Edition Magnificently bound folio, the first to contain the additional ‘Life of the Author’. Illustrated with the memorable engraved allegorical frontispiece, engraved portrait of Raleigh, six double page engraved maps, two double page engraved battle plans, three in-text schematics, twenty-six pages of chronological tables, and a title page printed in red and black.

‘Among the noblest of literary enterprises. Throughout it breathes a serious moral purpose. It illustrates the sureness with which ruin overtakes "great conquerors and other troublers of the world" who neglect law, whether human or divine, and it appropriately closes with an apostrophe to death of rarely paralleled sublimity.’

‘Too Saucy in Censuring Princes’ - King James on confiscating all unsold copies and suppressing further sales, several months after publication.

Written whilst imprisoned in the Tower of London from 1603 to 1616 and intended to outline historical events from creation to modern times, drawing on the Bible, Greek mythology, and other sources. Raleigh dedicated it to the young Prince Henry, his patron and supporter who was trying to secure his release from prison. The prince's death in 1612 discouraged Raleigh, and the book ends abruptly with the second Macedonian War instead of continuing through two more volumes as originally intended. Raleigh was released from the Tower in 1616 to lead one final expedition to South America, but his men attacked a Spanish outpost and he was executed upon his return in 1618.
  ‘The success of Raleigh’s History can perhaps be explained by the very fact that it is not a work of history in the academic sense but a political tract of immediate applicability. Its author embodied all the glories of the reign of Elizabeth I, which at the time of publication had already begun to be transfigured into a golden age Raleigh can be taken as the epitome of the Elizabethan idea of courtier and politician, sailor and explorer, writer and poet He was among the first Englishmen to envisage clearly that the Americas should be the principal goal of English overseas expansion The reversal of Elizabeth’s policy by James I encompassed Raleigh’s ruin He finally fell a victim to James’s pro-Spanish inclinations, and the last Elizabethan died by the executioner’s axe.

The History of the World was intended to outline historical events from creation to modern times, drawing on the Bible, Greek mythology, and other sources. ‘Apart from numerous abridgements, it ran through ten folio editions between 1614 and 1687… Its author was listened to, not so much because he was a scholar (which he certainly was by contemporary standards of scholarship), as because he embodied all the glories of the reign of Elizabeth I, which at the time of publication had already begun to be transfigured into a golden age’ - Printing and the Mind of Man.

Given the precarious political situation and restrictions on writing about contemporary history, many writers at the time used ancient history as a way to covertly discuss present-day issues. Although ostensibly a recounting of historical facts, Raleigh's work also included commentary that was construed by King James to be critical of the present court. Several months after publication, King James ordered further sales of the book suppressed and all unsold copies to be confiscated "for divers exceptions, but especially for being too saucy in censuring Princes." Raleigh was released from the Tower in 1616 to lead one final expedition to South America, but his men attacked a Spanish outpost and he was executed upon his return to England in 1618.

‘The design and style of Raleigh's History of the World are instinct with a magnanimity which places the book among the noblest of literary enterprises. Throughout it breathes a serious moral purpose. It illustrates the sureness with which ruin overtakes "great conquerors and other troublers of the world" who neglect law, whether human or divine, and it appropriately closes with an apostrophe to death of rarely paralleled sublimity.’ - DNB.

Reference: Brushfield,
A Bibliography of Sir Walter Ralegh Knt (Second Edition 1908) 223J. Printing and the Mind of Man 117. ESTC R33510.

Folio.
Note on pagination - there are various examples of incorrect numbering, but text is complete. and flows correctly.
pp. [2] [1][1
The Mind of the Front][1][1 Portrait]1 illustrated title page dated 1676] [1] [1 Title dated 1677][1][21 The Preface][1][21 Contents of the chapters][1]
The Life of Sir Walter Raleigh
1-36;
The First Book 1-10, 7-10, 15-32, 31, 34-39, 26, 41-119, 118-125 [1];
The Second Book 129-376;
The Third Book 393-480;
The Fourth Book 569-660;
The Fifth Book 577-644, 653, 646-681, 683, 693, 684-708, 737-885
[1] [2
To the Reader][i-iv, ix-xvi, v-viii, xvii-xxvi A Chronological Table][18 Index] [2] [2].

Maps (double page) 51, 96, 139, 203, 325, 766. Battle Plans (double page) 877, 878. Diagrams (1/2-3/4 page) 54, 260, viii (
Chronological Table).
  Bound to style by Alan Grace Bindings in burnished brown calf over matching mottled paper boards, spine decorated in blind and ruled in gilt, burgundy morocco label lettered in gilt, edges tinted reddish brown.   Condition: Fine but for one or two light spots in fine binding.   Ref: 111454   Price: HK$ 25,000