CHAMBERLAYNE, EDWARD.

Magna Britannia Notitia or The Present State of Great Britain with Diverse Remarks Upon The Ancient State Thereof (+) A Description of Scotland (+) A General List or Catalogue of All the Offices & Officers in South Britain or England, in North Britain.

London, Timothy Goodwin, Matthew Wotton, Benjamin Tooke, Daniel Midwinter Jacob Tonson, 1718.

8vo. In a contemporary Cambridge-style mirror binding with five raised bands. Small paper-label pasted on to top of spine. Light soiling and a few dots and marks to extremities. Previous owner's name to lower margin of title-page. Internally a few leaves evenly browned but generally nice ande clean. 455, 200, 56 pp. + frontispiece. 

Later edition of Chamberlayne’s work on the current state of England in which he discusses its institutions, monarchy, inhabitants, crown officers, women's court, children, servants, scholarly institutions, academies and universities, government and parliament.

Edward Chamberlayne (1616-1703), Professor of rhetoric at Oxford, was a guest in several European cities during the English Civil Wars. After the accession of Charles II, he became a member of the Royal Society of London and in 1669, accompanied the Earl of Carlisle on his embassy to Stockholm. Upon his return, he became chamberlain to the Duke of Grafton, the natural son of Charles II. Goldsmith, 1961; Einaudi I, 1017.

Order-nr.: 61283