The Holy State, by Thomas Fuller. London: Printed by John Redmayne for John Williams, 1663. English. Fourth edition.
"The Holy State" is one of the most popular books by the Anglican Churchman, historian and writer Thomas Fuller (1608-1661). The book provides general rules of conduct for various archetypes – the good wife, the good husband, good doctor, artist, and more – and includes brief biographies of model characters (for example, following the chapter about the good husband, appears a chapter about Abraham as a model husband). The book also includes general rules of hospitality, traveling, apparel, and more (also interspersed with brief biographies). The last part, "The Profane State" (with separate title page) covers negative figures.
20 in-text engravings by William Marshall – portraits of figures mentioned in the book.
[4] leaves, 189, 200-394, 435-510 pp (mispagination), approx. 28 cm. Stains (some pages are slightly browned). Closed and open tears to edges of several leaves (not affecting text). Paper label on front endpaper. Several handwritten notations. Leather-covered binding, with tears and blemishes.