COOPER, THOMAS. c.1517-1594.
Thesaurus Linguae Romane et Britannicae.... Henry Wykes for Berthelet, 1565.
Folio (328 x 220 mm). Double column, gothic and roman types. 18th century reversed calf. Title-page soiled with dampstain, inkmarks and a small hole (in blank area), prelims browned, small wormholes catching a few letters in first 10 leaves, dampstain at ends, appears complete but not collated (sold as is), final blank and blank *6 both present, binding worn at spine and edges, spine label lacking.
FIRST EDITION of this monumental Elizabethan Latin-English dictionary, based on the work of Sir Thomas Elyot and Robert Estienne. Queen Elizabeth was personally impressed by the dictionary and aided in Cooper's advancement. He was made dean of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1567, dean of Gloucester in 1569, bishop of Lincoln in 1571, and bishop of Winchester in 1584. Cooper's wife was harder to please—she reputedly burned all his papers when he was half-way through and Cooper was forced to begin again.
The title-page is a rare survival.
