An Easie and Familiar Method Whereby to Judge the Effects Depending on Eclipses, Either of the Sun or Moon

London: Printed for the Company of Stationers, and H. Blunden, at the Castle in Corn-Hill, 1652. First edition. 4to, 18x13cm, [2], 36pp. Incomplete. A-E4, lacking pgs 37-44. Paper boards sewn in red and gold floral patterned silk with metallic rickrack trim. Armorial Plate of Charles II attached to front board, sewn in under inner flap. Loose front endpaper, loose title, and then remainder of signatures, including rear endpaper, attached to each other with remnants of an old spine, and laid in. Old stab holes to inner margins, some moisture staining and smudging, though text remains legible. A fair, incomplete copy.

An unfortunately incomplete yet intriguing copy of Lilly's short work on eclipses, which includes both the author's and Ptolemy's methods of judging.  

Present is the armorial plate of Charles II, King of Scotland, England, and Ireland, with initials C. R. (Carolus Rex), and motto, Dieu et mon droit.  As Cyril Davenport notes in his English Heraldic Book-Stamps (Constable, 1909), Charles II used several designs that had been made for Charles I.  We identify this exact plate, minus the initials, in the dedication to Prince Charles I in the preliminaries of The workes of the most high and mightie prince, James... published by James, Bishop of Winton, 1616 (leaf A2, Internet Archive digitized copy from BYU).  The library of Charles II did contain astrological works, including gatherings of almanacs. 


This copy was seemingly removed from a larger collection of pamphlets and we posture the silk binding is perhaps from the late 19th century.

In any event, an uncommon Lilly publication, from his lifetime and just following his important Monarchy or No Monarchy of 1651.


ESTC R202716.  Wing L2219


.