Camden's Britannia 1695; a facsimile of the 1695 edition published by Edmund Gibson.

by William Camden, Edmund Gibson, Stuart Piggott (Introduction)

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1971

About the author

William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, and officer of arms. He wrote the first topographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

He was born in London and attended Christ's Hospital and St Paul's School. In 1566 entered Oxford University, attending Magdalen College, Broadgates Hall, and Christ Church. It was at Christ that he became acquainted with Sir Philip Sidney who encouraged his antiquarian interests. Camden returned to London in 1571 without taking a degree. In 1575 however, he became the Usher of Westminster School, a position that gave him the freedom to travel and pursue his antiquarian researches.

In 1577, with the encouragement of Abraham Ortelius, Camden began his great work Britannia, a topographical and historical survey of all of Great Britain and Ireland. His stated intention was "to restore antiquity to Britaine, and Britaine to its antiquity." The first edition was published in London, 1586, in Latin. The work was very popular, going through seven editions by 1607. The first English translation, prepared by Philemon Holland (probably under Camden's direction) appeared in 1610.

In 1593 he became Headmaster of Westminster School. He held the post for four years, leaving it when he was appointed Clarenceux King of Arms. The appointment to King of Arms, however, roused the jealousy of the herald Ralph Brooke who published in retaliation an attack on Britannia, charging Camden with inaccuracy and plagiarism. Camden successfully defended himself against the charges in subsequent editions of the work.

In 1597 Lord Burghley suggested that Camden write a history of Queen Elizabeth's reign. Camden began this work in 1607 in Latin. It was entitled, Annales Rerum Gestarum Angliae et Hiberniae Regnate Elizabetha. The first part told of Elizabeth's reign up to 1597 and appeared in 1615. The second part was not completed until in 1617, and was not even published until 1625 following Camden's death. The Annales is one of the greatest of English histories and had a great impact on the later image of the Elizabethan age.