Mercurius aulicus, . a diurnall, communicating the intelligence, and affaires of the court to the rest of the kingdome.
Sir John Birkenhead (1616-1679)
Category
Books
Date
1642 - 1643
Materials
Place of origin
England
Collection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 3000687
Summary
Bibliographic description
1 vol. bound in 2 ; 4to. Running numbers: 1078, 1354. Vol. 1: to p.[346]; vol. 2: 347 to end. Imperfect: wants B1, 2M4. Closed tear to leaves 2L4, 3E1. Seventeenth-century markings and underlining throughout. Provenance: library of Sir Richard Ellys (1682-1742) of Nocton, Lincolnshire. Manuscript initial on front endleaf of vol. 1: "M." [i.e. catalogue code of John Mitchell (ca. 1685-1751), librarian to Ellys], continued "2 vol. This is the 1st". Mitchell's note on front endleaf of vol. 2: "This is the 2nd. vol.". Manuscript inscription on printed waste at front of vol. 2 in seventeenth-century hand: "Mr. Patrick Murray, merchant at Edinburgh.". Twentieth-century pencil note on loose paper inserted at front of vol. 2 listing tears to vols. Various seventeenth- and eighteenth-century initials scribbled on endleaves and pastedown of both vols (e.g. vol.2: "Mr. D(?)"). Binding: seventeenth-century full dark brown calf over boards (worn) with triple blind fillet border of intersecting lines. Single blind line along board edges with blind diagonal and vertical lines near spine typical of Oxford bindings from this period. Two colour endbands. Four thongs laced in; no pastedowns; outside hook endleaf at both ends made from plain paper and printer's waste (Isocrates areopagitica; Digest of Justinian, Book 40 'De manumissis testamento'). Red sprinkled edges. Vol. 1: four raised bands edged with blind lines, diagonal lines in lower compartment, and gilt title on leather label (delaminating). Vol. 2: recessed supports; smooth spine with triple blind lines to form six compartments, untooled.
Makers and roles
Sir John Birkenhead (1616-1679), editor Peter Heylyn (1600-1662), editor