Thomas Fuller was a Church of English clergyman notable for being one of the earliest English writers to gain a steady income from his publications, particularly his popular The Holy State and the Profane State, first published in 1642. Written at a time of great division among families across Britain, The Holy State is a collection of passages that describe the ideal household. It describes how different members of a family or members of various professions should present themselves in public life, using archetypes such as ‘the good husband’ or ‘the good servant’. To emphasise this idealised state, Fuller contrasted model characters with biographies of those who did not follow the rules of conduct.

This copy was believed by the Royal Librarian, Richard Rivington Holmes, to have been bound for presentation to Charles I. It was one of the books selected by Holmes in 1893 as a fine example of bookbinding in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

Binding information

Full leather bound in brown morocco, with gold tooled arms of Charles I with blind-stamped 'C' and 'B' to either side, within panel with small tools built up to look like a lace panel to inner corners.