Beschreibung:

Tusser (Thomas) Five hundreth points of good husbandry united to as many of good huswiferie, collation: A-2A4, largely printed in black letter, title within woodcut border, just trimmed at fore-edge, a few small marginal defects, sig. L4 torn with slight loss of text, some soiling and light staining, contemporary sheep, worn, [STC 24375; Fussell I, p.8], 4to, Imprinted at London in Flete strete within Temple barre at the signe of the Hand & starre, by Richard Tottill, anno., 1573. ⁂ Very rare first edition of this expanded work which originally appeared in 1557 under the title A hundreth good pointes of husbandrie. No complete copy of this edition has appeared at auction for over 50 years. ESTC records three issues from this year, this collating to 2A4 and without the signature 2B, unlike the other two issues. All are rare, with this issue located at the BL, Cambridge and Folger only, as well as this copy. "...arranged in calendar form and written in doggerel verse, probably with the idea that rhyme would be of assistance to the supposedly sluggish brains of the rural community, who would be glad to have this kind of help to mnemonics. It not only provides guidance to the farmer in the conduct of his business as it was practised in Essex and Suffolk then, but also that of his family life, and for this reason has been many times reprinted and written about." (Fussell) Rothamsted acquisition date 1923.