Lot 97
Boyd, Zachary
The Last Battel of the Soule in Death
£1,008
Auction: 19 September 2024 from 10:00 BST
Description
Edinburgh: heires of Andro Hart, 1629. 2 volumes, 16mo (14.5 x 8.5cm), [24] 747, [38] 748-1270 pp., 19th or early-20th century brown morocco by Lloyd, fleurons gilt to spine-compartments, gilt and blind frames to covers, all edges gilt, volume 1 with restored loss to fore margin of title-page, with the single-rule border supplied by hand, R1 with small hole to fore margin, 2M8 with small spill-burn affecting one word either side, volume 2 3I2 with small hole affecting catchword [STC 3447]
Provenance
The Library of a Scottish Gentleman
Footnote
First edition, second issue, of the author's ‘most important published prose work … an important contribution to the tradition of the ars moriendi’ (ODNB). It was first printed the previous year, with this reissue being divided into two volumes and provided with cancel title-pages and new prelims. Both issues are extremely rare and there does not appear to have been a subsequent edition. Kilmarnock-born Zachary Boyd (1585-1653) was an influential figure in the Church of Scotland in the 17th century. He was elected on several occasions as dean and as rector Glasgow University, and in 1644 as vice-chancellor. A supporter of the National Covenant, he is reputed to have stood his ground against Cromwell's army at the cathedral church in Glasgow while the other ministers fled, with Cromwell's supposed in response to have invited him to dinner, resulting in a night of discussion and prayer.
