KNOLLES, Richard (1545-1610). The Generall Historie of the Turkes ... The Third Edition, London, 1621, folio, fine engraved title page, 28 portraits, illustration, contemporary calf (old repairs).

KNOLLES, Richard ([?]1545-1610).  The Generall Historie of the Turkes, from the first beginning of that Nation to the rising of the Ottoman Familie: with all the notable expeditions of the Christian Princes against them. Together with the Lives and Conquests of the Othoman Kings and Emperours unto the year 1621 ... The Third Edition. [London:] Adam Islip, 1621 [the second title for "The Lives of the Othoman Kings and Emperors" dated 1620]. Folio (335 x 215mm). Fine highly elaborate architectural engraved title by Laurence Johnson, woodcut initials, headpieces and tailpieces, 28 engraved medallion portraits by Lawrence Johnson in the text, each within a baroque frame, engraved illustration on p.1,076 captioned "... the Bridge made over Danubius by Sinan Bassa, Anno. 1595" with a battle scene in progress, the table at the end printed in triple column (the engraved title repaired at corners with very slight loss, blank corner torn away from [Aaa6], short tear to Iiii3 without loss, small hole in upper margin of [Ooo6], corner torn away from [Bbbb5] touching letters, some mainly minor marginal staining, a few darker ink spots more pronounced to one text leaf and the last leaves of the table at the end, some light creasing). Contemporary calf with six raised bands (old repairs to the spine and corners, endpapers heavily creased). Provenance: Arthur Watts (several old signatures on the endpapers); illegible old annotation to a stub at the front; other illegible old inscriptions and/or signatures to the front endpaper; a few old pen trials. "Dr. Johnson lavished somewhat excessive praise on Knolles's style. 'None of our writers,' he asserted in the 'Rambler', No. 122, 'can in my opinion justly contest the superiority of Knolles, who in his 'History of the Turks' has displayed all the excellencies that narration can admit. His style ... is pure, nervous, elevated, and clear. A wonderful multiplicity of events is so artfully and so distinctly explained that each facilitates the knowledge of the next.' ... Hallam confirms Johnson's verdict: 'Knolles's descriptions are vivid and animated - circumstantial, but not to feebleness; his characters are drawn with a strong pencil' ... Byron acknowledged deep indebtedness to Knolles. Shortly before his death at Missolonghi, he wrote: 'Old Knolles was one of the first books that gave me pleasure when a child; and I believe it had much influence on my future wishes to visit the Levant, and gave perhaps the oriental colouring which is observed in my poetry'" (DNB). Baer The Ottomans (2021) pp.106-7; cf. Blackmer 919 (citing the first edition of 1603); not in Atabey or Brunet; STC 15053. A FINE CRISP COPY.