[Austin, John]; [Birchley, William]. Devotions: First Part In the Antient Way of Offices with Psalms, Hymns, and Pray'rs; for every day in the Week, and every Holiday in the Year. Roan: 1672. Second Edition: Corrected and Augmented. [9812]
Full leather binding, quite worn with loss of leather to edges; old leather repair over the spine with a later black cloth repair over it. 15 x 8.2 cm (5 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches). [28], 450 pp. The first 28 unnumbered pp. are the Dedication and Directory. Text is complete, the first several leaves are weakly attached with separation at the title page hinge; rest tight; scattered staining. Signature with date 1776 on rfep. Good.
Wing 4249, attributed to John Austin. The first edition appeared in 1668; the third (1684); the fourth (1685). Sometimes found attributed to "William Birchley", which name Wing says is a pseudonym for John Austin. The Dedication is signed "J. S."; John Sargeant.
John Austin (1613-1669). "Born at Walpole, Norfolk; educated is St. John's College, Cambridge. Became a Roman Catholic about 1640...He was master of a good English style. His Devotions were altered and adapted to the English Church by Dr. Hickes, in which form they have gone through many editions." - Darling.
"He was a Gentleman, so far from retirement, that his Chamber was generally open to Multitudes, who either lov'd his friendly Affability, or needed his useful Advice or Charitable Assistance. His Conversation and outward behaviour were exceedingly cheerful and pleasant. He appear'd Severe in nothing but sincere Honesty, in nothing Singular but perfect Innocence consistent with so much Freedom. The Great Business of his Life, that concern'd Heaven, was transacted in the inmost recess of his Soul, and never disclos'd it self without reluctancy and constraint. He was a Traveller, and brought home from Forreign Countries all that could conduce to a Manly becomingness and wise carriage, leaving the Extravagancies and follies were he found them. He was well skill'd in the best of our European languages, and an absolute Master of our own." - John Sargeant, Epistle Dedicatory to this book.
Note on ffep: "A new form of Meditations for every day in the year. Written originally in French by F. John Craisset. London, printed for William Granthan in Cock-pit Alley, near Drury Lane 1685. pages 388. Thos Hillman's Book."
With a signed provenance card from the music collection of A. Merril Smoak, Jr., DWS.