PETTUS, Sir John.
Fodinae Regales. Or the History, Laws and Places of the Chief Mines and Mineral Works in England, Wales, and the English Pale in Ireland. As also of the Mint and Mony. With a Clavis explaining some difficult words relating to mines, &c.
London: Printed by H.L. and R.B. for Thomas Basset… .1670
Small folio, 7 leaves, pp. 108, (6), 1 leaf (errata), fine engraved frontispiece portrait by William Sherwin and 2 engraved plates. Title within ruled border, woodcut headpieces and initials, 2 engraved illustrations in the text. Contemporary blind-ruled calf, spine ruled in gilt, red morocco label, neat repairs to ends of spine. Dampstain in latter part, mostly quite faint, otherwise a fine and large copy.
FIRST EDITION of the standard seventeenth century English work on mining. It is very valuable for giving an account of the state of mining in England during the seventeenth century. The glossary at the end is the first attempt in English at a dictionary of mining terms (in his Fleta Minor of 1683 Pettus appended the first dictionary of metallurgy and minerals in English). Pettus (1613–1690), was the deputy governor of the royal mines in England and Wales. The fine portrait, here in the second state (signed “W. Sherwin sculpsit”), shows Pettus aged 57. Wing P1908. Duveen, p. 468. Hoover 634. Kress 1270.
£2,800.00
In stock
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