Despite being attacked by his critics as ‘the wisest fool in Christendom’, James VI & I oversaw a flourishing of literary culture in both England and Scotland throughout his reign. Acceding to the Scottish throne following the forced abdication of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots in 1567, the infant James VI was educated by a group of tutors led by the historian George Buchanan. While he often faced harsh beatings during his schooling, James was imbued with a lifelong passion for literature and learning. Upon reaching his majority in 1584, James began to publish—often anonymously—poetry and treatises on a range of subjects including: meditations on biblical passages, the nature of kingship (True Law of Free Monarchies, 1598), the Divine Right of Kings (Basilikon Doron, 1599) and witchcraft (Daemonologie, 1597). As the King wrote his pieces in Scots, many of his works were anglicised by the editor Thomas Waldegrave when they were published in London once it became likely that James would succeed the ageing Elizabeth I.

Following his accession to the English throne in 1603, James continued to write. He published a treatise attacking the use of tobacco (A Counterblaste to Tobacco, 1604) and several commentaries on political matters. He also commissioned a new authorised edition of the Bible (1611) and the Book of Common Prayer (1604). This is the 1620 impression of James’s collected works edited by James Montague, Bishop of Winchester, and first published by the Kings’ Printers, Robert Barker and John Bill in 1616. Dedicated to the Prince of Wales (later Charles I), the book bears a decorative title page by Renold Elstracke, one of the earliest English engravers, that combines English and Scottish symbolism and a frontispiece of James enthroned, engraved by Simon van der Passe.

Binding information

Contemporary dark brown calf binding, with blind- and gold-tooling on both sides and spine. Both sides re-backed onto entirely restored spine, also dark brown calf.

On both sides, an outer border consisting of a gold-tooled fillet line, surmounted on either side by two blind-tooled fillet lines. Arms of James I gold-tooled in centre, surrounded by the garter and surmounted by a crown.

Spine in dark brown leather, divided into seven compartments by raised bands. Gold-tooled fillet line on either side of the raised bands, with double fillet on head and tail of spine. Second compartment contains red leather label with gold-tooled title: 'KING JAMES I WORKS.'; '1616' gold-tooled on tail end of spine.

Evidence of holes on left and right boards suggest book originally fixed with clasps.