Or

1604 · rif. H16669 — London: Printed for Mathew Lownes 1604. First printing. Hardcover. Good. Quarto 10.75 x 8 inches 18th century vellum over boards good copy light restoration to outer joint and inner hinges front endpapers somewhat soiled and stained two modern bookplates on pastedown and on flyleaf; with rarely seen portrait frontispiece of Caesar engraved title page 3 double-page plates 2 full page plates -- lacking one double page plate. Contents otherwise very good and clean minor occasional wear and soil occasional very short tear to edges. 7 199 1 138 pp. A copy in a contemporary binding and with all plates sold at Christie's in 2008 for a total of over $7300. STC 7490. Edmondes ca. 1568-1622 was an English government official likely in the employ of the Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere often mentioned as a possible author of Shakespeare plays. In 1600 he published a commentary on the first five books of Caesar's Commentaries dedicated to Sir Francis Vere Born about 1560 Francis was the second son of Geoffrey Vere of Crepping Hall Essex a younger son of John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford. In this 1604 edition Edmondes augmented the previous edition with commentaries on books VI and VII and a short dissertation on the modern art of war. There is a further slight familial connection with Shakespeare. John Bernard 1604-1674 married firstly Elizabeth daughter of Sir Clement Edmondes; they had four sons who all predeceased him and four daughters. His second wife Elizabeth was the granddaughter and only surviving descendant of William Shakespeare. It is unlikely however that Shakespeare consulted Edmondes regarding the play Julius Caesar; the play was first performed in 1599 a year before Edmondes' commentary appeared. Good. Printed for Mathew Lownes hardcover