[Neotechnus, Henricus] [XVI-XVII secolo]. VI Prognostica Von Verender-ung vnd zufälligem Glück vnd Vnglück der höchsten Potentaten im Römischen Reich, Auch des Türcken vnd Pabst [...] des I. Johannis Carionis mit einer Außlegung, welche An-no 1546. gemacht [...]. II. Jacobi Hartmanni von Durlach Anno 1538. gestellet III. Prognosticon vor 300. Jahren gemacht [...] vnd durch Veit Diterichen Philippo Melanchthoni zugeschicket. IV. Prognosticon Theophrasti Paracelsi, newlich außgeleget [...]. V. Prognosticon Antonii Torquati. VI. Prognosticon eines Mahometischen Pfaffens [...]. Hall in Sachsen, Gedruckt bey Christoph Bißmarck. Jm verlegung Thomas Schürer, Jm Jahr 1613.
In 4° (20 cm), A-T4, cc. [76]. Carattere gotico. Capilettera floreali xilografici.
Miscellanea, in prima edizione, di pronostici anche astrologici raccolti in un unico contesto editoriale da Henricus Neotechnus. Gli autori, come si evince dal titolo, sono Johannes Carion, Jacob Hartmann, Philip Melanchton, Paracelsus e Antonio Torquato, le cui opere, qui ripubblicate, sono oggetto di schede specifiche.
Esemplari: Staatsbibliothek Berlin; Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek Weimar; Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg; Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel; Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig; Harvard University, Houghton College; National Library of Poland.
Fu stampata sine notis anche altra edizione nel 1620, con identiche segnatura e paginazione e con un dragone inciso al titolo, segnalatami dall’amico e grande anriquario londinese Christopher Sokol, la cui interessante scheda di seguito riproduco: In this work, Neotechnus gathered a series of texts containing prophecies that were written in Latin and German during the XVI century. In particular, as specified in the title, the prognostications are concerned with “the luck and misfortunes of the high potentates of the (Holy) Roman Empire, the Turks and the Pope”. Throughout the volume, Neotechnus frequently includes his own comments and additions to the works of the authors that he quotes, entitling his paragraphs with “Additio H.N.”
The first section contains the predictions of Johann Carion (1499-1537), court astrologer of Joachim I of Brandeburg and author of various prognostications based on the observation of the planets. His works were popular among the Lutheran circle of Melanchthon and he is famous for having predicted the Protestant Reformation, as well as various apocalyptic events. The second section includes an extract from the prophecies of Jacob Hartmann von Durlach, dated 1538. The third is concerned with a curious text entitled “Prophecy and warning concerning Germany and the House of Saxony, written 300 years ago, found in the library of Nuremberg and sent by Veit Dietrich [German theologian, 1506-1549] to Philip Melanchthon”. The fourth section is the largest and most important, as it comprises the famous ‘Prognosticon Theophrasti Paracelsi’. Theophrastus von Hohenheim (1493-1541), commonly known as Paracelsus, was a renowned Swiss physician, alchemist and theologian. This is a collection of 32 cryptic and allegorical prophecies extracted from his works on astrology and divination. Notably, in the pages of the ’Prognosticon’, Paracelsus predicted a series of events which have been later associated with the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), contemporary to the time in which Neotechnus was writing. The fifth and sixth sections contain selected predictions by the Italian Antonio Torquato (or Arcoato, end of the XV century) concerning the Turks, and by an anonymous “Mahometic priest” concerning the Turkish Sultan Amurath I. Esemplare, tra i pochi altri, della Universitäts und Landesbibliothek Sachsen Anhalt, Halle.