SCOTLAND & IRELAND. Respublica, sive status Regni Scotiae et Hiberniae. Diversorum Autorum.

Lugd. Bat. (Lugduni Batavorum - Leiden), Ex Officina Elzeviriana A[nn]o, 1627 [Colophon: Lugd. Bat. Ex officina Elzeviriana. Anno MDCXXX]. 24mo. First edition. pp. 282, 2. Text in Latin. Engraved titlepage. Contemporary full vellum with yapp edges. Vellum evenly brown spotted. A very good copy. Scarce.
Sweeney 4483 refers to the 1625 edition.
An Elsevier compilation and part of a series of works dealing with different countries, the material drawn from various sources, as the notice “Diversorum Autorum” on the titlepage indicates. The sources for Ireland include Camden, Speed, Stanyhurst and Moryson. The engraved title-piece depicts a Scot and an Irishman between a harp and their respective countries’ arms.
Editorial attributed to Joannes de Laet (1593-1649) - Claude Seyssel, Joachim du Tillet, Vincent de la Loupe, Philippe Honoré and Giovanni Botero (contributing authors).
Johannes de Laet (1581-1649) was a theologian, historian, geographer and businessman. He is believed to have been the overall editor of the ‘Respublica’ series, issued by the Elsevier publishing house at Leiden, of which this is the volume relating to Scotland and Ireland.
George Buchanan was a 16th-century Scottish historian who has been lauded as the most profound intellectual 16th-century Scotland produced. He was known for many historical writings, but his final major work, History of Scotland was his attempt to skew or change the perceived Scottish national history. Most of the work is based on his own experience in 16th-century Scotland, as well as the history of Hector Boece and his 15th-century Scottish philosophy. Buchanan himself knew that his work would be offensive to many Scots. He said it would, content few and displease many . The famed Lyon publisher Elzevier published a series of travel guides under the title Respublica. This work is a collection of various authors on European countries focusing on geography and historical significance. This 1627 first edition covers Scotland and Ireland and includes contributions by the famed Scottish experts Buchanan and Boece (Boetius).

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