Rare first and only edition of the extensive description of the tumultous and ruinous wars in Moravia (present-day Czechia). The work, describing the history of Moravia and Bohemia until the year 1526 in great detail, is written by Tomáš Jan (or Jan Tomáš) Pešina z Èzechorodu (1629-1680). It is illustrated with an engraved title-page, engraved portrait of the author, and a large engraved map of Moravia, which - remarkably - notes all cities, villages and other landmarks in Czech only. While the work calls for another part, the present text is all that has been published of this title.
The author was a Moravian (or Czech) Catholic clergyman, historian, and writer - often called the father of Moravian historiography. In the 1640s he studied at the Jesuit college in Jindøichùv Hradec and later in Prague, and in 1653 he was ordained a priest. During his life he held several clerical positions in different towns and cities throughout Moravia (broadly now Czechia). He wrote several works during his lifetime, remarkably also a few in Czech, mainly about the history of Bohemia and Moravia, and the development of Christianity in these regions. The present work was one of his later accomplishments, published near the end of his life. The first part is said to have been written under the strong influence of Václav Hájek z Liboèan (?-1553), a Bohemian chronicler, and Jan Skála z Doubravy (or Johannes Dubravius, 1486-1553), the Bishop of Olomouc (Czechia).
With a manuscript bookplate on the front paste-down dated 1709 detailing the gifting of this work to the a convent in or near present-day Votice (Czechia) "De numero librorum qui ab Excellent. Fundatore Ferdinando Comite de Wettby(?) pro Conventu otticensi donati sunt A[nn]o 1709", a manuscript owner's inscription on the title-page "Pro Bibliotheca Conventus Otticensis Sancti Francisci", and the same manuscript owner's inscription on page 1 (leaf A1r). The boards and spine shows clear signs of wear, without affecting the integrity of the binding, and has been re-backed with the original spine laid down. With remants of green closing ties on both the front and the back board, the engraved title-page shows some water staining (mainly to the fore edge of the leaf), slightly foxed and slightly browned throughout. Otherwise in good condition. Rare example of the first and only edition of this work with an interesting provenance. Kasal, Tsjechisch 3. Literatuur voor Nederlandstaligen (2003), p. 37; Knihopis Ceskych a Slovenskyck Tiskn II, vi, nr. 7032; not in Graesse.