Though dated 1648 this book was printed in 1658, 10 years after the execution of Charles I and the apparent extinction of the monarchy, showing that though subversive, the text continued to be popular. While Charles I has traditionally been identified as the author of
Eikon Basilike, this has been disputed since and John Gauden, Bishop of Worcester emerged as a probable ghostwriter in the 1690s. It is now thought to have been a collaboration between Gauden and the king. The book reviews the course of the civil wars from the calling of the Long Parliament in 1640 to Charles's imprisonment at Carisbrooke Castle in 1647, and defends the king's policies. As well as being a political memoir it also uses the language of spiritual autobiography, presenting Charles as the defender of both Church and State.
DESCRIPTION : Calf boards in good condition, dented, bruised and bumped to corners and edges. Unadorned other than blind rule to edges. Spine in 5 compartments rubbed to joints, shelf worn, head of spine cracking. Title lettered in gilt on red ground to top of spine, slightly loosened. Text block edges speckled red in good condition. Front endpapers age yellowed, browned to edges, worn to hinges. A decorative ownership plate reads ‘Earl of Roden K.S.P’ on front pastedown below a library case mark. Front free endpaper is inscribed in contemporary cursive ‘MB January 31, 1729’. Lacking frontispiece. Title page a little stained. Rear pastedown browned to edges, otherwise clean. Rear free endpaper excised, 2 cm strip to spine remaining. Otherwise text block sound, in good condition. 302 pp. Several leaves are mis numbered throughout as noted on collation but all text scans. Followed by 6 pp. appendix titled ‘Munday 29th January 1648 A True Relation of the Kings Speech to the Lady Elizabeth, and the Duke of Gloucester, the day before His Death’. Appendix leaves dog eared, cropped short with partial loss of letters to fore edge. Final 4 pages annotated by previous owner in ink to margins.
