RICHARD KNOLLES: The Generall Historie of the Turks from the first beginning of that Nation to the rising of the Ottoman family and all the notable expeditions of the Christian Princes against them, together with the Lives and Conquests of the Ottoman Kings with a new continuation from the years 1629 into the year 1638. Oxford 1638 Early edition of Knolles’ History of the Turks, the standard English work on the Levant throughout the 17th century. Folio (33 × 24 cm). An imposing and heavy volume. Contemporary leather, rebacked; wear to the original covers. Complete: [8], 1500, [8], 31, [15] pp., with 32 engraved portrait plates in the text. Text mostly clean, with some spotting or light (mostly marginal and inoffensive) waterstains; light foxing in places. Title page and first five leaves restored, with some loss to the title and marginal loss to the others; a few restorations to the final three leaves, without loss. Overall a good plus copy of a very bulky four-century-old book. Many of the fine portraits in this edition derive from Jean Boissard, the late 16th-century French antiquarian and author. Knolles’ history long remained the authoritative English account of the Ottoman Empire and the Levant, only surpassed in influence with the appearance of Paul Rycaut’s works in the late 17th century. References: Atabey 1076 (later edition); Blackmer 165 (this edition).