Theatrum chemicum Britannicum, Containing Severall Poeticall Pieces of our Famous English Philosophers, Who Have Written the Hermetique Mysteries, 1652

Curatorial Notes:

In 1652 Elias Ashmole published the first English edition of the Ripley Scroll verses in the Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum. A prolific collector, Ashmole himself owned five Ripley Scrolls, now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. He also examined Leonard Smethley’s Scroll, and transcribed Smethley’s notes into his personal copy of the Theatrum. By attributing the verses to George Ripley in print, Ashmole ensured that the Scrolls would continue to be associated with the 15th-century alchemist.

Credit Line:

Rare Books Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Format:

Book

Type:

Early works to 1800

Language:

English

Publisher:

London : Printed by J. Grismond for Nath. Brooke, at the angel in Cornhill, [1652]

Date:

1652

Extent:

[2, 16], 1-280, 285-292, 289-486, [8] pages, [2] leaves of plates (1 folded) : illustrations ; 19 cm (4to)

View in catalog:

https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/99109549413506421

Subject:

Alchemy—Early works to 1800

Printer:

Grismond, John

Bookseller:

Brooke, Nathaniel

Engraver:

Contributor:

Description:

Signatures: pi1 A-3S⁴ [$3 signed ( -A1, B3, C1, I2, O2, Q2, 2U2, 2X2, 2Y3, 3D2; 2Z3 signed Zx3)].
Only this first part published.
T.p. in red and black.
Roman, italic and gothic type.
Printer's device on t.p.
Additional engraved frontispiece is signed "T. Cross sculp:"; most of the illustrations are signed "Ro: Vaughan. sculp:"; folded plate is signed "John Goddard sculpsit."
Full page engravings on p. 12, 44, 51, 91, 102 and 210. Folded leaf of plate is bound-in facing p.117.
The last four leaves contain a table of contents and glossary.
Ex copy: Imperfect: leaf Rrr4, and folding diagram entitled "Here followeth the figure conteyning all the secrets of the treatise both great & small," wanting.

Contents:

The ordinall of alchimy / vvritten by Thomas Norton ... -- The compound of alchymie : a most excellent, learned, and worthy worke / written by Sir George Ripley ... conteining twelve gates -- Liber patris sapientiae -- Hermes bird -- The tale of the chanons yeoman / vvritten by our ancient and famous English poet, Geoffry Chaucer -- The worke of John Dastin -- Pearce the black monke upon the elixer -- The worke of Rich. Carpenter -- The hunting of the greene lyon / [Abraham Andrewes] -- The breviary of naturall philosophy / compiled by the unlettered scholar Thomas Charnock -- Bloomefields blossoms, or, The campe of philosophy / [William Bloomefield] -- Sir Edward Kelle's worke -- Sir Ed. Kelley concerning the philosophers stone, written to his especiall good freind [sic], G.S. gent. -- Testamentum Johannis Dee philosophi summi ... -- De lapide philosophorum / Thomas Robinsonus -- Experience and philosophy -- The magistery / W.B. -- Anonymi, or, severall workes of unkowne authors -- John Gower concerning the philosophers stone -- The vision of sr. George Ripley, chanon of Bridlington -- Verses belonging to an emblematicall scrowle / supposed to be invented by Geo: Ripley -- The mistery of alchymists / composed by Sir Geo: Ripley -- The preface prefixt to Sir Geo: Ripley's Medulla -- A short worke that beareth the name of the aforesaid author, Sir G. Ripley -- John Lydgate, monke of St. Edmundsbury, in his translation of the second epistle that King Alexander sent to his master Aristotle -- Anonymi -- The hermet's tale -- A description of the stone -- The standing of the glasse for the tyme of the putrifaction, & congelation of the medicine -- Aenigma philosophicum / D.D.W. [R]edman -- Fragments -- Annotations and discourses upon some part of the preceding vvorke.

References:

ESTC 006112745
Wing (2nd ed., 1994) A3987
Duveen, D.I. Alchemica et chemica p. 31

Identifier:

ark:/88435/j3860d936