Details
[HOWARD, Henry, Earl of Northampton (1540-1614)]. A defensatiue against the poyson of supposed Prophesies: not hitherto confuted by the penne of any man, which being grounded, eyther uppon the warrant and authority of olde paynted bookes, expositions of Dreames, Oracles, Revelations, Invocations of damned spirites, Judicialles of Astrologie, or any other kinde of pretended knowledge whatsoeuer ... haue beene causes of great disorder in the common wealth, and cheefely among the simple and unlearned people. London: John Charlewood, 1583.
Small 4° (177x123mm). Collation: &4 *4 $2 A-Y4 Aa-Rr4. (Minute burnhole in N3; slight paperfault in X2, sidenote lightly shaved on Rr3.) 19th-century calf gilt by Bedford, edges gilt. Provenance: Cardiff Castle bookplate.
FIRST EDITION of this attack on judicial astrology, dedicated to Walsingham, and probably suggested by the astrological exploits of Richard Harvey. On publication the book was regarded as heretical and treasonable and Northampton was sent to the Fleet Prison for about a year. This may explain the rarity of this edition, which was presumably suppressed. No copy has been sold at auction since 1960. STC 13858; first? issue with the quotation from Job "Quomodo .../How stedfast" on the title.
Small 4° (177x123mm). Collation: &4 *4 $2 A-Y4 Aa-Rr4. (Minute burnhole in N3; slight paperfault in X2, sidenote lightly shaved on Rr3.) 19th-century calf gilt by Bedford, edges gilt. Provenance: Cardiff Castle bookplate.
FIRST EDITION of this attack on judicial astrology, dedicated to Walsingham, and probably suggested by the astrological exploits of Richard Harvey. On publication the book was regarded as heretical and treasonable and Northampton was sent to the Fleet Prison for about a year. This may explain the rarity of this edition, which was presumably suppressed. No copy has been sold at auction since 1960. STC 13858; first? issue with the quotation from Job "Quomodo .../How stedfast" on the title.