Philallelia [Greek] or, The Grand Characteristick Whereby a Man may be Known to be Christ's Disciple. PIERCE (Thomas).

LADY BELLOMONT'S COPY

Delivered in a Sermon at St. Paul's, before the Gentlemen of Wilts. Nov. 10. 1658. It being the day of the Yearly Feast. By Thomas Pierce, Rector of Brington.

First Edition. Small 4to. [196 x 145 x 31 mm]. [4]ff, 37, [3]blank pp. Bound in contemporary red goatskin, the covers tooled in gilt with a border of a double fillet and ornamental roll, repeated vertically 30 mm from the joints. The spine divided into five panels with raised bands and compartments of gilt double fillets, marbled pastedowns, gilt edges. (Lacking free marbled endleaves, slightly rubbed, paper label numbered "45" at head of spine).
London: printed by J[ohn]. G[rismond]. for R. Royston, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, MDCLVIII [1658].

Wing P.2189. A variant title-page has "and are to be sold by John Courtney bookseller in Salisbury 1658" in the imprint. With the final blank leaf.

Bound with:

PIERCE (Thomas). Empsychon Nekron [Greek]. Or The Lifelesness of Life on the hether side of Immortality. With (A Timely Caveat against Procrastination.) Briefly expressed and applyed in A Sermon Preached at the Funerall of Edward Peyto of Chesterton in Warwick-shire Esquire.

Engraved coat-of-arms on verso of half-title.

First Edition. [6]ff, 33, [3] pp.

London: printed for R. Royston, and are to be sold at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1659

Wing P.2182.

And:

PIERCE (Thomas). England’s Season for Reformation of Life. A Sermon Delivered in St. Paul's Church, London. On the Sunday Next Following His Sacred Majesties Restauration.

Engraved frontispiece of Royal Arms. Title printed in red and black.

First Edition. [4]ff, 29, [1] pp.

London: printed for Timothy Garthwait, at the Little North-Door in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1660

Wing P.2183.

And:

PIERCE (Thomas). A Sermon Preached at St. Margarets in Westminster before the Honourable the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled, Upon the 29th Day of May, being the Anniversary Day of the King's and Kingdomes Restauration. By Thomas Pierce, D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty.

First Edition. [2]ff, 38, [2]blank pp.

London: printed by R. Norton for Timothy Garthwait, at the Little North-door of St. Paul's Church, 1661

Wing P.2198. With a preliminary leaf with the order to print and the final blank leaf. ESTC calls for a folding engraved portrait of Charles I, but there is no evidence that it was ever present here.

And:

PIERCE (Thomas). Concio Synodica Ad Clerum Anglicanum, Ex Provincia praesertim Cantuariensi, in Aede Paulina Londinensi habita VIII Idus Maias MDCLXI. Per Thoman Pierce, S.T.D. Prebendarium Cantuariensem.

First Edition. [2]ff, 47, [1] pp.

Londini: typis R. Nortoni, impensis Timoth. Garthwait, 1661

Wing P.2169.

And:

PIERCE (Thomas). The Primitive Rule of Reformation: Delivered in a Sermon Before His Majesty at Whitehall Feb.1.1662. In Vindciation of Our Church Against the Novelties of Rome. By Tho. Pierce, D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty, and President of Magdalen College in Oxon. Published by His Majesties special Command. The Eighth Edition, more Correct then the London Impressions: by the consent of the Author.

[4]ff, 37, [3]blank pp.

Oxford: printed by H.H. for Ric. Royston Bookseller to His Sacred Majesty, and Ric. Davis in Oxon, 1663

Wing P.2194. With the final blank leaf. Rather closely cut, touching a few letters.

Occasional minor soiling and a few spots, but all six works are in good condition, as is the binding.There are three early ink signatures on the first title: "F. Harpur", "Lady Bellomount" and "Edw'd Wilmot".

F. Harpur may have been a descendant of Sir William Harpur (d.1574), Lord Mayor of London and founder of Bedford School. Catherine Nanfan (1665-1738) married Richard Coote of Cootehill, Co. Cavan, in 1680. He was one of the first to join William of Orange in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and in 1689 he was created Earl of Bellomont and given the governorship of County Leitrim. He travelled with his wife to America and in 1698 became the 12th Governor of the Province of New York, adding the governorships of Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire in 1699. On his death in 1701 the earldom passed first to eldest son, Nanfan, and then to his second son, Richard, after which it became extinct. Catherine Bellomont went on to marry Admiral William Caldwell, Samuel Pytts M.P. and William Bridgen. The third signature may be that of Sir Edward Wilmot (1693-1786), physician to Queen Caroline, Frederick, Prince of Wales, George II and George III.

Thomas Pierce (1622-1691) was born in Devizes and was a graduate and fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford until expelled by the Parliamentary Visitors in 1648. He entered the household of the Countess of Sunderland as tutor to her son Robert Spencer, and travelled with him in Italy and France. At the Restoration he was appointed Chaplain-in-Ordinary to Charles II and in 1661 was elected President of Magdalen, a post he held for ten contentious years. His writings and sermons were consistently controversial, though Pepys heard him preach in April 1663 and described him as having "as much natural eloquence as most men that ever I heard in my life, mixed with so much learning". In 1675 he was installed as Dean of Salisbury and was soon quarrelling with his Chapter and Bishop.

Stock no. ebc8054