Memoires Relating to the State of the Royal Navy of England, for Ten Years, Determin'd December 1688

London: Printed for Ben. Griffin, and are to sold by Sam. Keble, 1690. First edition,12mo (170 x 100 mm), [4], 214, 18pp., frontispiece portrait of the author engraved by Robert White, title printed in red and black within ruled lines, following Sig. L4 is a large folding sheet of accounts, the present copy has the usual manuscript corrections to pages 11, 33, 39, 40, 42, 57, 70, 90, 92, 103, 120, 138 & 142 which if not by Pepys himself were likely carried out under his direction, cont. speckled calf, boards rubbed with decorative blind border-rule, calf reback with original label laid-down, re-cornered, some slight edge-browning and light age soiling but still a good copy. First edition of the variant issue with Griffin-Keble imprint. This was the only book written by Pepys to be published in his lifetime, and forms a defence of his administration of the Navy from 1679 until his dismissal from office following the Revolution in 1688. "Upon this he lavished a great deal of thought and care. It represents a side of Pepy's life which is apt to be ignored."—Pforzheimer. Provenance: Interestingly the bookseller whose label is inserted, died in 1833, The Annual Register states; "In Piccadilly, aged 37 paralysis brought on by drinking immoderate quantities of brandy Mr Richard Beckley, Bookseller". Pforzheimer, 793; Wing, P1450; Grolier, Wither to Prior, 662.