[Henry VIII, King of England]:
A Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christien Man, sette furthe by the kynges majestie of Englande &c.

(London: Thomas Barthelet, May 29, 1543). 4to. ff. (iv), xciiii (A4, A-Y4, Z6). Black letter. Introduction presumed to be by Henry VIII. Title-page illustrated with architectural woodcut border; woodcut tail-piece on A4; woodcut initials throughout text. Full contemporary brown calf, stamped in gilt, rebacked, boards and extremities rubbed and moderately worn and scratched; edges stained red; armorial book-plate of English barrister and Tory politician, Edward Conyers (1693-1742) on front paste-down; old pencil inscription on verso of front blank; contemporary inscription at top of title-page, soiling to same; scattered soiling and spotting to text; bottom corners and edges of final four text leaves worn, especially to final leaf with loss and closed tear. STC 5168

Commonly called the King's Book, this was published at the behest of English King Henry VIII following his break from Rome. Helping to define the doctrine of the English Church, it is a revised and enlarged edition of the 1537 The Institution of a Christan Man (known as the Bishop's Book).

This example does not exactly correspond with any copies listed in STC. This copy with "This boke...not to be solde aboue. xvi. d." on colophon; A1v, line 2 "boke"; A2r, line 2 "Kynge"; N4v catchword "the", line one ends "pleasure, and"; Z2r, line 2 ends "and goodness,", line 3 ends "them for"; colophon reads "Barthelet". This copy with printed foliation.

Provenance:

Aline Thorold (1869-1951) m. Ernest James Wythes (1868-1949) at Copped Hall, Essex, until 1917 and The Wood House, Essex, thereafter and by descent to

Barbara Dorothy Wythes (1896-1984) m. (Francis) Guy Robert Elwes (1895-1966) at The Wood House, Essex until 1961 and Ham Spray House, Marlborough, thereafter and by descent to

Aline Mary Margaret (Elwes) McDonnell (1923-2023) m. Hubert McDonnell Jr. (1919-2004), Greenwich, Connecticut, and thence by descent

Pictured:

An 1807 engraving of Copped Hall, S. Rawle from a drawing by S. Shepherd.

Aline Elwes McDonnell and Family, circa 1954.

[Henry VIII, King of England]: A Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christien Man, sette furthe by the kynges majestie of Englande &c.

[Henry VIII, King of England]:
A Necessary Doctrine and Erudition for Any Christien Man, sette furthe by the kynges majestie of Englande &c.