★ Lilly, William [1602-1681] – Ashmole, Elias [XVII secolo]. Mr. William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times from the year 1602 to 1681. Written by himself in the 66th Year of his Age, to his worthy Friend Elias Ashmole, Esq; Published by the original MSS. Containing, among many curious Particulars I. An Account of Dr. Forman, Dr. Napier, Dr. Booker, Dr. Dee, Kelly and all other Astrologers and Conjurors; his Contemporaries, unfolding the Mysteries of the Black Art, viz. Incantations, Raising of Sipits, &c. II. The Tryal of Isaac Antrobus Parson of Egremond, before Sir Harbottle Grimston, Master of the Rolls, for Baptizing a Cock by the Name of Peter, and committing Adultery with a Woman and her Daughter. III. A Discovery of several private Transactions relating to Oliver Cromwell’s Management, during the Time of the Civil War; more especially that Grand Secret, who the Person was that cut off King Charles’s Head. IV. Mr. Lilly’s Examination before the Parliament concerning the Fire of London: With some memorable Occurrence that happened after the Restauration of King Charles II. London, Printed for J. Roberts in Worwick-lane, 1715.
In 12° (16 cm), [A]2 B-E12 F6 G4, cc. [2], pp. 116. Il titolo sopra riprodotto è quello che figura in [A]2 recto; in [A]1 recto figura invece la dedica: To the excellent Elias Ashmole, Esq; This Account of my Life, With all Humility, is Dedicated by William Lilly.
Prima edizione.
Note biografiche su William Lilly sub Christian Astrology (scheda n. 4551).
L’opera è tratta direttamente dal manoscritto di Lilly e la sua pubblicazione, così come le note e il commento successivo alla morte di Lilly, sono dovuti al suo amico Elias Ashmole, membro, come Lilly, Carpenter e Rober Gell, della Honourable Society of Astrologers. La cosa più interessante di tutta l’opera è rappresentata dal racconto della comparizione di William Lilly davanti al Parlamento, che volle interrogarlo per la sua predizione relativa all’incendio di Londra (sul punto, vedi sub Monarchy or no Monarchy, scheda n. 4551). Lilly riuscì abilmente a cavarsi dai guai.
Esemplari: British Library (4); Leeds University; Lambeth Palace Library, London; Lancaster University; Manchester University; Harris Manchester College, Oxford; Bodleian Library, Oxford (2); Jesus College, Oxford; Balliol College, Oxford; York Minster Library; National Library of Scotland (2); Cambridge University (6), Trinity College Library, Dublin; Staatsbibliothek Berlin; Library of Congress; Harvard University, Houghton Library; Boston Public Library; Yale University (2); UCLA Library, Los Angeles (2); University of California, Riverside; California State Library, Sutro; Henry Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Garden, San Marino, California (3); University of Chicago; University of Illinois; Newberry Library, Chicago; University of Kansas Archive; University of Michigan; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; University of Wisconsin, Madison; University of Indiana, Lilly Library; Purdue University, Indiana; Trinity College, Connecticut; Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington; Princeton University; University of Vermont; Temple University, Philadelphia; University of Rochester, New York; University of Alberta, Cameron Library, Canada; Auckland Public Library, New Zealand; Pretoria State Library, South Africa.
Bibliografia: Gardner 691; Graesse IV 211; CATAF.
Altre edizioni:
1721, London, Printed for E. Curll, over-against Catherine-street in the Strand; J. Pemberton, in Fleet-street; and W. Taylor, in Pater-noster-Row, in 12°, cc. [3], pp. 116, cc. [1], pp. vii [1] 108. Esemplare della National Library of Scotland;
1774, London, Davies, in 8°, A4 B-CC8, cc. [4], pp. 399 [1]. [1] tavola, quale parte di The lives of those eminent antiquaries Elias Ashmole, Esquire, and Mr. William Lilly, written by themselves: containing, first, William Lilly's History of his life and times, with notes, by Mr. Ashmole: secondly, Lilly's life and death of Charles the First: and lastly, The life of Elias Ashmole, Esquire. By way of diary. With several occasional letters, by Charles Burman, Esquire. Esemplare della Edinburgh University;
1822 e 1826, London, Baldwin, tratte dai manoscritti originali. Esemplari, rispettivamente, della London School of Economics e della Cambridge University.