Folio (278 x 174 mm). 3 engraved portraits, ornamental woodcut borders on title and 2 sectional titles, numerous woodcut decorations and initials. (Marginal wormholing in top gutter, some minor staining or spotting, a few tiny holes from the deckle, some minor creasing, corner on Nn2 folded and uncut.) Contemporary blind-ruled calf gilt, covers with central gilt design, edges sprinkled red (rebacked preserving original spine and endleaves, an old repair and some contemporary annotations to front flyleaf, some light wear). Provenance: S.G. Lansford? (early signature, 4 August 1687).

FIRST ENGLISH EDITION, originally published in 1616 in Latin, and translated into English by Bishop Godwin’s son, Morgan Godwyn. Bishop Godwin also wrote The Man in the Moone which was posthumously published in 1638, considered to be among the first works of science fiction. ESTC S106901.