[Legh, Gerard]. — THE ACCEDENS OF ARMORY.
Imprinted at London : In Flete strete within Temple barre, at the signe of the hand and starre, by Richard Tottill, the last day of December. An. do. 1562. 1st Ed. Sm. 8vo. [9] leaves, 232 leaves, [3] leaves. Engraved title page (coat-of-arms), 2 woodcuts, numerous woodcuts of coats-of-arms including 4 full page, decorative/initial letters. Sporadic waterstain heavier in parts, light age toning, some leaves lightly creased to upper corner, contemporary mottled calf, sm. lump to upper board, hinges cracked though firm, dec. gilt compartments to spine, lacking title label. Ex.-libris Sir Philip Sydenham, probably the 3rd Baronet, of Brimpton in Somerset. He represented Helston and Somerset in Parliament in 1700 and 1705. An extravagant man, he sold Brimpton to his cousin Humphrey Sydenham, and used the proceeds to collect books. He is said to have had twenty three different bookplates, the last dated 1738, and used three different crests. He never married, and on his death the baronetcy became extinct. ESTC S101100 ‘Imprint from colophon. With engraved title page. The preface to the reader is by Richard Argall. Last leaf bears woodcut illustration. Entered 1562-63.’ ‘This book was a popular work on heraldry in the late sixteenth century. Written by Gerard Legh, it takes the form of a dialogue between two men Gerarde the Herehaught and Legh the Caligat Knight on various aspects of heraldry. The text was not sponsored by the College of Arms, so, for fear of reprisal, Legh purposely kept the book vague and obscure in its discussions of coats of arms. The Accedens of Armory went through several editions from its first publication in 1562.’ Royal Collections Trust.
