PENN, William (1644-1718). A Letter from William Penn Proprietary and Governour of Pennsylvania in America, to the Committee of the Free Society of Traders of that Province, residing in London ... To which is added, An Account of the City of Philadelphia newly laid out… London: Andrew Sowle, 1683.

Isaac Norris's copy of the first edition of "one of the best contemporary accounts of the state of affairs in early Pennsylvania," with early issue of the first plan of Philadelphia (Streeter). This is the third issue, of four published by different printers that year. William Penn's plea urging people to settle his fledgling colony, and advertising his new planned city. Streeter 944; Sabin 59712; Church 686; Stokes 1682-B-45 (map).

Folio (299 x 177mm). Folding plan of Philadelphia by John Thornton after Thomas Holme (447 x 302mm, detached). 10pp. (stained and chipped at edges). 4pp. list of lot holders lacking, replaced in contemporary manuscript on 5pp. 19th century drab-blue boards (damage to upper outer corner). Provenance: Isaac Norris (1701-1766, ownership signature).

[Bound With:] several additional manuscript pages including a near-contemporary copy of Penn's original charter from Charles II (4 March 1680/1), 6 pages with the verso of the final page bearing a French translation of description of Philadelphia published originally in The Hague in 1684 – a leaf bearing the text, in a variety of hands both rector and verso, of various legal opinions relative to Pennsylvania (c. 1710?), 1 page, octavo – several lines in Latin, 1 page 12mo. [Together With:] a manuscript document concerning the lieutenant governor's approval or annulment of legislation passed in the Pennsylvania Assembly, [27 June 1704], with a short note at the conclusion by Isaac PENN, dated 16 January 1755, 1 page 12mo.

The folding plan of Philadelphia laid into this volume is a late printing of unknown date and is not an early issue as stated in the cataloguing.