Hakluyt, Richard:

THE PRINCIPAL NAVIGATIONS, VOIAGES, TRAFFIQUES AND DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH NATION, MADE BY SEA OR OVER- LAND, TO THE REMOTE AND FARTHEST DISTANT QUARTERS OF THE EARTH, AT ANY TIME WITHIN THE COMPASSE OF THESE 1500 YEERES.AND LASTLY, THE MEMORABLE DEFEATE OF THE SPANISH HUGE ARMADA, ANNO 1588, AND THE FAMOUS VICTORIE ATCHIEVED AT THE CITIE OF CADIZ, 1596.

      London: George Bishop, Ralph Newberie and Robert Barker, -1600. 1598 - Three volumes in bound two. [24],619; [16],312,204; [16],868pp. Folio. Late 19th-century morocco, expertly rebacked, raised bands, spines gilt. Moderate edge wear, third volume worn at spine ends. Bookplates on front pastedowns. "Voyage to Cadiz" leaves present in their first issue according to Church (pp.607-619 in the first volume) supplied from another copy and with extensions to the margins of the leaves. Overall a very good set. In half morocco clamshell boxes, spines gilt. The first enlarged edition of Hakluyt's voyages. In fact, this is an entirely different book from his 1589 compilation, with the first volume containing a supplied copy of the rare "Voyage to Cadiz" on pages 607-619, which was suppressed by order of Queen Elizabeth after the disgrace of the Earl of Essex; and with the 1598 titlepage reading: "the famous victorie atchieued at the citie of Cadiz." As usual, this set does not contain the map, which is found in only a few copies. There appear to be two different states of the printer's ornaments on the titlepage of the first volume. This copy has a border of fruit and flowers surrounding "THE" and the ornamental figure above the imprint shows a center medallion flanked by cupids. The other state has a typographical border around "THE" and the ornamental figure above the imprint shows three birds. These variants have been overlooked by most bibliographers. Hakluyt took such patriotic pride in his countrymen's exploits in the fields of travel and adventure that he devoted his life to preserving the records of all English voyages, and to advancing further means for the promotion of wealth and commerce for the nation. "Hakluyt was a vigorous propagandist and empire-builder; his purpose was to further British expansion overseas. He saw Britain's greatest opportunity in the colonization of America, which he advocated chiefly for economic reasons, but also to spread Protestantism, and to oust Spain" - Hill. The third volume is devoted almost entirely to the Americas, the South Seas, and various circumnavigations of the world. It includes the accounts of Niza, Coronado, Ruiz, and Espejo on New Mexico; Ulloa, Drake, and others on California; and Raleigh's account of Guiana. The greatest assemblage of travel accounts and navigations to all parts of the world collected up to its time, and a primary source for early New World exploration. This volume contains 243 narratives of voyages and travels in the New World, consisting of some one million seven hundred thousand words.