1629 Lancelot Andrewes Christmas Sermon — Complete 11-Page Folio Unit

Lancelot Andrewes • London • 1629

Sermon 17 of the Nativitie • Preached before King James I at Whitehall, Christmas Day 1624

A Complete Christmas Sermon from the 1629 First Edition • Woodcut Initial

Offered here is an exceptional and genuine 1629 first-edition folio unit preserving the complete identified textual run of Lancelot Andrewes's Sermon 17 of the Nativitie, a Christmas sermon originally preached before King James I and the royal court at Whitehall on Christmas Day, 1624.

The sermon was published posthumously in Andrewes's celebrated collection, XCVI Sermons, printed in London in 1629 by George Miller for Richard Badger. Andrewes had died in 1626, making this an early posthumous witness to one of the most important bodies of Jacobean English preaching.

This offering comprises a complete six-leaf, eleven-page physical unit, preserving pages 159–169 of the identified sermon. The first four leaves remain conjoined along the spine margin, while the final two leaves are detached and loose.

Lancelot Andrewes and the Jacobean Court

Lancelot Andrewes (1555–1626) was one of the most distinguished English preachers and theologians of the early seventeenth century. He was also among the leading scholars and translators associated with the Authorized Version of the King James Bible.

Andrewes's sermons are especially important for their connection with the religious and intellectual life of the Stuart court. His Christmas sermons delivered before King James I at Whitehall represent notable examples of Jacobean court preaching.

A Striking Early Printed Witness

The opening page of this unit, page 159, features a highly detailed decorative woodcut initial “I,” providing a distinctive visual element to the sermon.

The leaves retain numerous characteristic features of early seventeenth-century English printing, including:

Early Modern English typography

Prominent marginal scriptural cross-references

Original catchwords

Generous period margins

Handmade linen-rag paper

Strong, dark printing

Original early seventeenth-century paper

The sermon measures approximately 8½ × 13½ inches, giving the leaves a substantial folio presence.

The sermon develops Andrewes's exposition of Psalm 2:7, beginning with the declaration:

“I will preach the Law, whereof the Lord said to mee: Thou art my Sonne, this day have I begotten thee.”

The result is a substantial example of Andrewes's characteristic scriptural exposition and highly developed Jacobean preaching style.

Condition

Very Good overall for a seventeenth-century folio unit.

The paper remains crisp, strong, stable, and highly legible, with a clear and attractive impression and no significant fading or bleeding of the printed text.

The first four leaves remain conjoined and attached at the spine margin, while the final two leaves are detached and loose.

The leaves retain generous original margins and deckled edges.

There is an attractive historic patina, visible historic tide-marking/light moisture staining is present along the upper margins of the leaves. This staining is dry and stable and remains confined away from the principal body of printed text.

Faint, sparse foxing is also present, consistent with the age and character of seventeenth-century handmade rag paper.

There are no modern annotations, modern repairs, or evidence of active deterioration.

Overall, the leaves present exceptionally well for a nearly four-hundred-year-old printed folio unit, retaining strong paper, attractive typography, and substantial original margins.

Historical Significance

This is not merely an isolated fragment of an early theological work. It represents a complete, self-contained sermon unit from the 1629 printing of Andrewes's XCVI Sermons and preserves a sermon originally delivered within the royal setting of Whitehall during the reign of King James I.

The 1629 XCVI Sermons is an important landmark in the history of English religious printing, while Andrewes's sermons remain valuable sources for the study of Jacobean preaching, theology, court culture, Anglican history, and the literary world surrounding the Authorized Version.

For the collector of early English printing, King James-era history, Anglican history, theological literature, or material associated with the world of the Authorized Version, this complete sermon unit offers an unusually direct surviving connection to the religious and intellectual culture of early seventeenth-century England.

Item Details

Author: Lancelot Andrewes (1555–1626)

Work: XCVI Sermons — Sermon 17 of the Nativitie

Year: 1629

Place: London

Printers/Publishers: George Miller for Richard Badger

Format: Folio

Extent: Six leaves / eleven pages

Pages: 159–169

Dimensions: Approximately 8½ × 13½ inches

Historical Association: Preached before King James I at Whitehall, Christmas Day 1624

Feature: Decorative woodcut initial “I”

Condition: Very Good overall for a seventeenth-century folio unit.

The condition notes above reflect observations made during examination; the accompanying photographs provide the collector with the opportunity to conduct their own assessment of the material.

Inquiry to Purchase

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Collection Reference: AS-1054

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