Allaeus, Franciscus (1593-1678)

Nouvelle méthode d'astrologie. [Anon.] Histoire du mouvement de l'apogée du soleil, ou pratique des règles d'astrologie pour juger des événements généraux. 1711. Extra-illustrated with 10 circular astronomical engraved diagrams with volvelles. The second work is illustrated within the text with 13 pen-drawn horoscopic diagrams, lettered in red and black. Some marginal and other notes by a later 18th cent. hand. The first work is a translation of 'Astrologiae nova methodus', first published at Rennes in 1654, which was publicly burnt at Nantes (or Rennes), on political and ecclesiastical grounds, though it was reprinted later. The author calls himself 'Franciscus Allaeus, a Christian Arab'. This is supposed to be a pseudonym of a certain Ives de Paris capuchin, and is so entered in the B.M. Catalogue of Printed Books. [Cf. Thorndike: 'History of Magic and Experimental Science' Vol. VIII, pp. 310-312]. An illustration of this armorial binding, apparently the only one known, is found in Olivier (E.) [& others] 'Manuel de l'amateur de reliures armoriées françaises' No. 2574 (3).

1711

1 volume 1 bl. l. + 284 [283] pp. + 2 ll. last bl. + 266 wrongly numbered 307 pp. folio. 35 x 221/2 cm. Calf gilt-stamped binding, with centre-panel in red morocco on the upper cover, containing the arms of Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orleans 'Philippe Égalité' [1747-1793]. On the lower cover a monogram [C. M.?] in gold. P. 265 has been dropped in the first pagination, and p. 305 in the second. The upper cover is lettered 'Manuscrit, As de 1780'.

Purchased 1933.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).

On p. I library stamp of 'Julevno astrologue. Paris 1891' [i.e. Jules Eevont].