Theatrum chemicum britannicum : containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language / faithfully collected into one volume, with annotations thereon, by Elias Ashmole, Esq., qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus.
1652
Items
Details
Title
Theatrum chemicum britannicum : containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language / faithfully collected into one volume, with annotations thereon, by Elias Ashmole, Esq., qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus.
Created/published
London : Printed by J. Grismond for Nath. Brooke, at the Angel in Cornhill, MDCLII [1652]
Description
[16], 486, [10] p., [2] leaves of plates (1 folded) : ill., port. ; 20 cm (4to)
Associated name
Ashmole, Elias, 1617-1692.
Grismond, John, printer.
Brooke, Nathaniel, bookseller.
Cross, Thomas, active 1632-1682, printmaker.
Vaughan, Robert, active 17th century, printmaker.
Goddard, John, active 1645-1671, printmaker.
Grismond, John, printer.
Brooke, Nathaniel, bookseller.
Cross, Thomas, active 1632-1682, printmaker.
Vaughan, Robert, active 17th century, printmaker.
Goddard, John, active 1645-1671, printmaker.
Note
"The first part." No more published.
Signatures: A-3Q⁴ 3R⁴(-3R4, blank?) 3S⁴ chi1.
No. 281-284 skipped in pagination; nos. 289-292 repeated.
Title page printed in red and black; engraved vignette.
Most of the 11 engraved ill. by Robert Vaughan are within borders decorated with birds, insects, small animals and flowers. Some are signed in the plate. Woodcut tailpiece (two-headed dragon with sun and moon) appears on p. 212 and 379. Folded plate is engraved diagram, with title: Here followeth the figure conteyning all the secrets of the treatise both great & small. It is signed in the plate: John Goddard sculpsit. Engraved ill. on p. [437] signed in the plate: T. Cross sculp. Engraved horoscope of Edward Kelley, p. 479. Tailpieces, decorated initials, fleurons.
Final [10] p.: Contents--2 p. (3S1); Glossary--5 p. (3S2-3S4r); Errata--1 p. (3S4v); leaf of additional errata--1? p. (chi1). Many copies are wanting the final leaf of additional errata.
Contents (leaf 3S1) lists 31 entries, including: Ordinall of alchemie / Thomas Norton -- Compound of alchemie / George Ripley -- Chanon's yeoman's tale / Geoffry Chaucer -- Sir Edward Kelley's Worke -- Doctor John Dee's Testament -- Secreta secretorum / Iohn Lydgate.
Signatures: A-3Q⁴ 3R⁴(-3R4, blank?) 3S⁴ chi1.
No. 281-284 skipped in pagination; nos. 289-292 repeated.
Title page printed in red and black; engraved vignette.
Most of the 11 engraved ill. by Robert Vaughan are within borders decorated with birds, insects, small animals and flowers. Some are signed in the plate. Woodcut tailpiece (two-headed dragon with sun and moon) appears on p. 212 and 379. Folded plate is engraved diagram, with title: Here followeth the figure conteyning all the secrets of the treatise both great & small. It is signed in the plate: John Goddard sculpsit. Engraved ill. on p. [437] signed in the plate: T. Cross sculp. Engraved horoscope of Edward Kelley, p. 479. Tailpieces, decorated initials, fleurons.
Final [10] p.: Contents--2 p. (3S1); Glossary--5 p. (3S2-3S4r); Errata--1 p. (3S4v); leaf of additional errata--1? p. (chi1). Many copies are wanting the final leaf of additional errata.
Contents (leaf 3S1) lists 31 entries, including: Ordinall of alchemie / Thomas Norton -- Compound of alchemie / George Ripley -- Chanon's yeoman's tale / Geoffry Chaucer -- Sir Edward Kelley's Worke -- Doctor John Dee's Testament -- Secreta secretorum / Iohn Lydgate.
Cited/described in
Duveen, D.I. Alchemica et chemica, p. 31
Hogart, R.C. Alchemy, 29
English short title catalogue (ESTC), R205904
Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (2nd ed.), A3987
Hogart, R.C. Alchemy, 29
English short title catalogue (ESTC), R205904
Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (2nd ed.), A3987
Linked resources
Blog post about Folger Shakespeare Library 194- 678q: "Happy Birthday, Elias Ashmole!", The Collation (23 May 2017)
Place of creation/publication
Great Britain -- England -- London.
Item Details
Call number
194- 678q
Folger-specific note
Imperfect: wanting the two plates and the final leaf of additional errata. Small hole on t.p. where former owner's initials were apparently effaced. Bound in speckled calf with gold spine ornaments and tooling, and black leather spine title "Theatrum chemicum".
Folger accession
194678