Second edition, small 4to, 210 x 160 mm, 8¼ x 6¼ inches, parts i, ii and iii 1 small illustration in the text, 4 engraved portraits, 4 plates of which 2 folding, plus 1 folding map pages (12), 49, 42-47, (1), 80, 84, (12 index) part iv 1 large defective folding map, 11 full page maps and numerous illustrations in the text, pages (14), 143, 140-212, (24), pagination jump in part i and part iv present in all copies, but. Title page and page 43/42 (g2) and page 141/142 (t3) lacking in part iv. (title page to part iv rarely found in this edition of 1695), missing text pages have been supplied. Bound in full antique panelled calf, with blind decoration to covers, no spine label or lettering. Binding worn with some marks and rubbing to covers, spine darkened, slightly chipped at head and tail up to 10 mm (½ inch), hinges cracked with some old repairs to cords, covers holding firmly, small repair to leather on upper cover, corners worn with cardboard showing at tips, armorial bookplate on front pastedown, inner paper hinges strengthened with paper strip, title page slightly dusty, reinserted and strengthened neatly in the margins, pale damp staining in fore-edge margin of first 12 leaves, recurring from page 47 of part iii to the end of part iv, occasionally with a pale stain also at inner edge entering text but in no way obscuring it, large pale damp stain to lower half of a few pages, 2 words lost at top of 3rd page of prelims due to adhesion, occasional small light stain mainly to margins, 1 fore-edge margin chipped and neatly repaired (see image 1), another with a small chip, some upper margins trimmed, not affecting running title, a few short closed margin tears, small piece missing from 1 corner with loss of part of side-note, final page of index in part iv slightly dusty and slightly creased, 2 of the folding plates are shorter than the rest and have come from another copy, one of them has had the fore-edge margin trimmed away, has a tiny hole and splits to the folds neatly repaired on reverse, with part of a library stamp in the lower margin (see image 6), large folding map of south america in part iv is missing lower half and has a large closed tear with old repair on reverse. Text block tight and firm. Acceptable copy (2 leaves of text in facsimile and half of 1 map missing). This book is actually 2 volumes in 1, the first 3 parts by john esquemeling were originally published in english in 1684 and the fourth part by basil ringrose was issued in 1685 (volume ii).Our book is a reissue of these 2 volumes with a cancelled general title page to the first volume and a cancel title page to the second volume (the latter usually missing).
. The first volume was originally published in dutch in amsterdam in 1678. Perhaps (esquemeling) never imagined the fabulous success of his book, which became the prototype for all the literature of pirates and buccaneers ever printed in all languages, and for the hollywood productions on the subject to this day.