Leicester's common-wealth. : Conceived, spoken and published with most earnest protestation of dutifull goodwill and affection towards this realme. By Robert Parsons Jesuite. Whereunto is added Leicesters-ghost.

Leicester's common-wealth. : Conceived, spoken and published with most earnest protestation of dutifull goodwill and affection towards this realme. By Robert Parsons Jesuite. Whereunto is added Leicesters-ghost.

Leycesters commonwealth.

London : [s.n.], printed anno Dom. MDCXLI. [1641]

[8], 88, 81-128, 137-183, [1]; [2], 34 p., [1] leaf of plates : port. ; (8vo)

"Leicester's commonwealth" is a political tract against Elizabeth I's government. It went through many stages and forms, both in manuscript and in print, and is most well known by the title "Leicester's commonwealth". It was first printed on the continent in 1584 with title "The copie of a leter, wryten by a master of arte of Cambridge, to his friend in London" (STC 5742.9). It was formerly attributed to Robert Parsons and is sometimes attributed to Thomas Morgan. Cf. DNB s.v. Dudley, Robert, Earl of Leicester. 1532?-1588.

The engraved portrait (plate) is signed: W Marshall sculpsit.

"Leicester's ghost", a poetical paraphrase of "Leicester's commonwealth" by Thomas Rogers, has separate dated title page, pagination, and register. Another edition, Wing R1837A, was also published separately in the same year with title "Leycesters ghost".

Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (CD-ROM, 1996), L969
English short title catalogue (ESTC), R12740

Great Britain -- England -- London.

L969

cs60. -port. Trimmed, affecting some side-notes. Provenance: armorial bookplate of William Howard, Hartley House, Devon (motto "suum cuique"); bookseller's label of E. W. Perry, George Street, Plymouth