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A 17th Century Poet on Foreign Affairs and the Balance of Power

OVERBURY, SIR THOMAS.

His Observations in his Travailes Upon the State of the XVII Provinces as they Stood Amno Com. 1609. The Treatie of Peace being then on Foote.

Place and Imprint: Printed MDC.XXVI,
Edition: First edition.
Bibliographical References: ESTC S113538; STC 18903.
Condition: Text washed, most noticeably on the first and final leaves; fine copy, enclosed in a slipcase.
Book ID: 28750

Physical Description

4to, later brown morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe for William Stirling-Maxwell, with the Stirling-Maxwell gilt insignia on the upper and lower boards, gilt lettering on the spine, a.e.g. 18 pages, A-D3; lacking the final blank.

Comments

In 1609 courtier and poet Thomas Overbury (1581-1613) traveled through the Low Countries and France and wrote this essay about the equilibrium of power between France, Spain and England that would guarantee their mutual preservation. This would become known as the "balance of power" later in the 17th century, when Overbury was principally known as the author of the often reprinted poem "A Wife" and for his central role in a court scandal, his imprisonment in the Tower and death there, which was possibly a murder. In addition to the politics written about in his essay, Overbury comments on the characteristics of the people and cultures he encounters. As for France, he observes that it is fortunate to abound with corn, salt and wine. Travailes was posthumously published in 1626. See the ODNB.

Price: $3,750.00