Portraits and Memoirs of the Most Illustrious Personages of British History

95 engraved portraits originally issued in fascicules by Edmund Lodge, found here bound in Victorian half cloth over marbled boards. The original title of the magazine has been laid down on the upper board, there is rubbing to edges of binding; a clipping has been removed from the first free endpaper. The engravings are by Goldar, Woodman and Mutlow (Ann of Cleves after Holbein and Robert Devereux after 'I Oliver'), I Absolam (Thomas Cromwell after Holbein) and Taylor (George I after G Kneller). Framed on the page in a more or less elaborate style (Queen's of England receive particularly lavish treatment), the images are surmounted by the subject's name and the provenance of the portrait appears below, King Alfred is the earliest historical figure to appear in a sequence which includes William Shakespeare, Henry Darnley, William Cecil, Edward VI and a particularly impressive image of the young, bearded Henry VIII. Olive Cromwell is present alongside John Milton, the medic Thomas Sydenham, John Locke with Robert Earl of Orford the last figure to appear.