Edward Alleyns copy.- Knox (John) An Answer to a great nomber of blasphemous cauillations written …

Edward Alleyn's copy.- Knox (John) An Answer to a great nomber of blasphemous cauillations written by an Anabaptist, first edition, with final errata leaf, title leaf tipped-in a touch high and a little frayed at edges, Edward Alleyn's copy with his ink ownership inscription 'Edward Alleyn 1605' to head of title, a few headlines trimmed with loss of text, very occasional contemporary ink underlining or passage-marking, light browning and some very faint spotting, occasional light soiling, final few leaves frayed at lower outer corner, errata with early ink inscriptions to verso, later calf, slight bowing to covers, a few ink marks, rubbed, [STC 15060], 8vo (155 x 95mm.), [Geneva], Printed by Iohn Crespin, 1560. ⁂ An impassioned defence of Calvin and the doctrine of predestination, almost certainly the copy of Edward Alleyn (1566-1626), one of the leading figures of Elizabethan theatre. As a member of the Lord Admiral's Men, Alleyn was the first actor to play Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine, and Barabas in The Jew of Malta, parts which were probably written for him. In 1605, Alleyn bought the memorial estate of Dulwich from Sir Francis Calton, establishing a school which he called 'Alleyn's College of God's Gift', now Dulwich College. The archive of Dulwich College contains an impressive selection of documents in Alleyn's hand (digitised through the Henslowe-Alleyn Project). While his signature does seem to differ quite widely, the inscription here most closely resembles the more informal signatures found in Alleyn's personal letters, in particular MS1 Art9 & Art11, which include his characteristic trailing letter 'n'. Provenance: John Webb (ink name to verso of errata leaf); Richard Smith 'Bought out of the Reverend Mr Marsh's Library 1786' (ink inscription to front free endpaper); John Pearson 1810 (various ink inscriptions to endpapers and to upper cover).