12mo. [12], 592, [36], 51pp, [1]. With an engraved portrait frontispiece and an engraved folding map. Contemporary blind- tooled panelled calf, contrasting re calf lettering-piece. Heavily rubbed. Text-block dampstained at foot, short tear to map.

The most overtly patriotic work of Scottish historian and administrator, George Buchanan (1506-1582). First printed in 1582 the Historia presents an historical narrative of Scotland's recent past, combining this with accounts of the geography of the nation and the origin of her peoples, as well as a philological discourse on British nomenclature. The second part comprises the text of Buchanan's De jure regni apud Scotos, a dialogue between the author and Thomas Maitland arguing for a form of constitutional monarchy in which poor kings may be legitimately deposed.