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GRAY, Robert. A Good Speed to Virginia. London: Printed by Felix Kyngston for William Welbie, 1609. 4to (181 x 124 mm). Black letter. Modern blind-stamped brown morocco, titled in gilt on upper cover; red morocco backed slipcase. Condition: title-page and final page worn, and both expertly repaired and mounted, affecting a few letters on title page and margins of the final leaf, 3 tips of upper corners repaired, lacking first and final blank. Acquisition: the Laird-Park copy, sale, Sotheby's New York, 29 November 2000, lot 148 $10,200 via William Reese Company. first edition of the third book on virginia, a rare promotional tract. Following Smith's True Relation (1608) and Johnson's Nova Britannia (1609), Good Speed to Virginia coincided with the second charter for the Company issued in 1609, under which it became a corporation with Sir Thomas Smith as treasurer. Nine such tracts for "Knights, Merchants and Gentlemen" were printed between 1608 and 1615, to encourage the emigration to Virginia. The present tract is a sermon providing reasons to seek fortune there including overcrowding "the lande is too narrow for us...it behooves us to be both prudent and politicke...to imbrace every occasion which hath any probabilitie in it of future hopes." Such tracts are one of the only sources of information on the early years of the Virginia colony. RLIN lists the Rosenbach Library, the New York Historical Society, and the University of Michigan only as holding copies, all of which are missing the preliminary blank. Only the present copy and one other disbound with significant repairs has been offered at auction since the Streeter copy sold in 1967 for $2,100. Streeter Sale 1093; Church 336; Sabin 27837; STC 12204; Swem, Bibliography of Virginia I, 2122; Vail 14.ImagesClick on thumbnails to see larger images:
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