Bishop Percy's Folio Manuscript. Ballads and Romances. Complete in Four Volumes.<br />Edited by John W. Hales, M.A. <br />and Frederick J. Furnivall M.A.<br />First edition.

London: N. Trubner & Co., 1867. First edition, 1867. One of 65 Demy Quarto copies printed on Whatman's paper made expressly for this edition (50 to subscribers, 10 to Public Libraries and 5 to editors). Vol. I: lxxiv, 536pp plus list of subscribers 12pp at rear; Vol. II: lxxi, 610pp; Vol. III: xliv, 595pp; Vol. IV: viii,128pp. Vo. IV is titled "Loose and Humorous Songs". Vol. I. also contains a fold-out facsimile ms of a song ("Sell my Wiffe") written in a 17th-century hand. This follows p536. Contemporary olive green straight grain morocco backed boards with gilt titles and decoration. Marbled end papers and top edge gilt. Bookplate of Joseph Knight to upper paste down of Vol. I. with his name in ink to front free blank of each volume and an ink stamp to same. (Joseph Knight was a renowned bibliophile who was variously dramatic critic of 'The Athenaeum', editor of 'Notes and Queries', a contributor to the 'Dictionary of National Biography' and biographer of D. G. Rossetti, amongst many other achievements. He was also a lover of poetry who knew much of Milton by heart). Vol. IV also contains a loosely inserted clipping from The Birmingham Post of 19th March 1938 showing a photograph of Thomas Percy's birthplace. Percy's colossal work is still an authoritative source for many English ballads and older poetical works and remains a testament to his diligence and perseverance in rescuing many of the original manuscripts from almost certain destruction. Overall condition of the four volumes is good/very good. The boards all exhibit some soiling and rubbing with most corners a little bumped. Morocco backings show even wear and colour and are mainly good. Some scuffing and rubbing (Vol. II being the most affected). Volume IV has a vertical split to the hinge at the head of the spine extending by approx 3 cms with the beginnings of a horizontal split where this culminates. Fold-out facsimile ms in Volume I has a snall closed tear at the fold. Internally all four volumes are very clean and free of spotting. There is the occasional light soil mark and Volume IV has a couple of margin notes etc lightly in pencil. Occasional crack at gutter but all text blocks very securely bound and still tight. The four volumes together represent quite a considerable weight - for overseas buyers we would be pleased to provide a shipping quote on request.