MISCELLANEA SPIRITUALIA: or, Devout Essaies. by Montagu, Walter - 1648

Printed for W. Lee, D. Pakeman, and G. Bedell. London: ., 1648 pp. [1] (Added engraved title on light paper), [1] (Printed Title), [30], [1](The Printer to the Reader + Errata); 198, 265-405, [1] (Imprimatur: Na: Brent. Junii 12. 1647, with crown and fleur de lis rules), [8]. With blanks. 4to. 216 mm. (4to). The printed title has "Ecclus" at the beginning epigraph, rather than "Eccles" as in some copies. Signatures: pi1 A4 a-c4 chi1 B-2B4 2C4 ( -2C4) 2M-3G4./ Includes index. Decorative initials and head-pieces. Nice sober modern full leather binding. Walter Montagu (1604/5-1677), courtier and abbot of St Martin, was born in the parish of St Botolph Aldgate, London. Upon leaving Cambridge he travelled to the continent (France and Italy) in order to improve himself. Returning to England he found employment in the service of the Duke of Buckingham and was sent to France in 1624 in relation to the planned marriage of the future Charles I and the French princess Henrietta Maria. At this time Montagu met Marie Aimee de Rohan, Duchesse de Chevreuse. Although he appears to have been involved in her later intrigues against Richelieu 'it was not until the summer of 1647 that their relations were to take on an intimate character.' In March 1625 he returned with the news that, with regard to the marriage negotiations, 'All is forward, and the lady should be delivered in thirty days'. The 21-year-old agent was rewarded for his efforts with the sum of L200 and began a devoted service to Henrietta Maria which ended only at her death. Indeed, this work is dedicated to her. After witnessing the exorcisms at Loudun in 1634 he became a Roman Catholic, and served the Queen-Regent Marie de Medici as well as Henrietta Maria. On 16 March 1640 parliament petitioned the king to remove all recusants from court and by the beginning of 1641 the Long Parliament had ordered Montagu, Digby, and John Winter (the Queen's secretary) to give an accounts of their part of the collection of money gathered as a contribution from Catholics to defray the cost of the royal army in the struggle with the Scots. In the same month Montagu was banished and went again to France. In October 1643 Montagu re-entered England by subterfuge, clumsily disguised as a member of the French ambassador's entourage. He reached Rochester but was captured and taken to London, where he was ordered by the House of Commons to be detained as a close prisoner in the Tower, evidently due to the fact that he was carrying sealed letters with the arms of France directed to the King and Queen of England. He suffered a long imprisonment before being released in 1647. In 1644 the Commons ordered all his goods seized and sold and the proceeds sent to the army of Lord Fairfax. While in prison Montagu occupied his time in penning this first book of 'Miscellanea Spiritualia.' A later part of 'Miscellanea Spiritualia' was issued in 1654. Wing (2nd ed.) M2473; McAlpin II, p. 586. **PRICE JUST REDUCED! CHEST 2/3. Hardcover. Good.