First edition of a beautifully illustrated account of Charles II of England's (1630-1685) travels through the Netherlands, on his way to regain the English Crown. The splendid plates in the present copy are in their first states, and the portrait of Charles II even in a proof state. The text was based on both eye-witness accounts and the government papers the author had access to.
Charles I (1600-1649), father of Charles II, had a long-running dispute with Parliament, which lead to two English Civil Wars in quick succession, and eventually to Charles' execution. After this, Great Britain became a republic, with Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) as the Lord Protector. Charles II was then crowned king of only Scotland (1649-1651), but was threatened by Cromwell's army and forced into exile on the continent, where he stayed in the Southern Low Countries. When Cromwell died, he was succeeded by his son Richard. Richard had little experience, however, and quickly resigned. During the unrest that followed, Parliament decided to accept the Declaration of Breda, which were Charles' conditions for returning as king. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey in April 1661.
Charles II received his invitation to return to England on the 8th of May 1660, while staying in Breda. The present work is an account of his journey to London via Delft, The Hague, and Scheveningen. The plates show Charles' arrival in Delft and The Hague (on the Vijverberg), his reception in The Hague with a banquet at the Mauritshuis (where he was seated next to the later Dutch king William III), two plates of Charles II addressing the Dutch Parliament (one with the members standing, and one with them seated), and Charles's departure from Scheveningen. They were engraved after designs by Jacob Toorenvliet (1640-1719) and Adriaen van de Venne (1590-1662). The work was simultaneously published in French, English, and Dutch, by the same printer, and with the same plates.
The author of the text was the colourful diplomat Abraham de Wicquefort (1598-1682), who, after having been the Resident in Paris for the Elector of Brandenburg from 1626 to 1658, was appointed Historian of Holland by his patron, the Pensionary Johan de Witt. He also was the Resident in The Hague of the famous art collector and collector of books, the Duke of Brandenburg August of Wolfenbüttel. He wrote a number of works on diplomacy and Dutch history.
The vellum is somewhat scratched, with minor restorations (new closing ties). The work is somewhat browned throughout, with rusty paperclip marks on the first flyleaf and the lower margin of the first page, the edges of the 4th plate (Banquet in the Mauritshuis) are somewhat frayed, and the margins of the 6th plate (Charles II addressing parliament) have been cut somewhat short, but without affecting the engraved image. Otherwise in good condition. Franken, Van de Venne, p. 85, nrs. 17-18 (plates); Landwehr, Splendid ceremonies, 126; Muller, Historieplaten, 2156 (plates); Muller, Portretten, 2855 (portrait of Charles II); STCN 853032696 (11 copies); USTC 1845780 (9 copies); not in Berlin Kat.