Old English Books and Manuscripts From Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books
Pre-1800 English Books from Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books
By Michael Stillman
The latest catalogue from Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books has arrived, English Books and Manuscripts to 1800. This is a diverse collection of primarily 17th and 18th century books covering a wide range of topics: politics, science, medicine, piracy, travel, executions, witchcraft and whatever else interested people in long ago times. These are works which make for some fascinating reading as well as antiquarian collecting. Here are a few samples.
Many people associate witchcraft trials with America as a result of some terrible events in Salem, Massachusetts, in the late 17th century. However, it was activities in and writings from Europe that inspired this piece of insanity. Item 47 is a compilation published in 1693 attributed to the late British Judge Sir Matthew Hale and Edward Stephens entitled, A collection of modern relations of matter of fact, concerning witches & witchcraft upon the persons of people. Hale had presided over a witchcraft trial in 1662 and found it hard to believe that three children from different families could possibly have colluded to accuse two innocent old women of witchcraft. The result was they were convicted and Judge Hale sentenced them to their executions. Other sections include a translation of an account from France where 32 teenage girls in a home for poor children were discovered to be witches, and a 1644 case from Yarmouth where 16 others "confessed" to being witches and were, naturally, executed. Item 47. Priced at £850 (British pounds, US dollar equivalent of $1,525).
By the beginning of the 18th century, the tide had turned against those who used accusations of witchcraft to attack others. Item 48 is, The tryal of Richard Hathaway, upon an information for being a cheat and imposter, for endeavoring to take away the life of Sarah Morduck, for being a witch... Hathaway claimed all sorts of ailments caused by the spells cast by Mrs. Morduck. He had become blind and mute as a result of these spells, but was relieved of these symptoms when he scratched his alleged tormenter. When a new spell returned these symptoms, an inquiring clergyman tried an experiment, having a woman supposed to be Mrs. Morduck reach an arm through a curtain for Hathaway to scratch. He did, and was "cured," but the arm was not that of Mrs. Morduck. The trap did not matter for believers, who concluded the witch had played a trick. Besides which, there were other symptoms. When given water, Hathaway would vomit pins. It was noted that the vomited pins managed to stay dry, and Hathaway carried pins in his pockets, but believers saw no contradictions. He also was unable to eat, although peepholes drilled into his room revealed him feasting when no one was looking. Nonetheless, Mrs. Morduck was put on trial, and though acquitted, many believed the court had been bribed to find her not guilty. However, with the tide turning, Hathaway himself was put on trial a year later, convicted, and sentenced to six months in prison and a good flogging. He was lucky. If Mrs. Morduck had been convicted, she would have been executed. £650 (US $1,166).
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Old English Books and Manuscripts From Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books
John Wagstaffe questioned the reality of witchcraft.
If the latter half of the 17th century was a time of foolishness and hysteria, there was one voice of reason. In 1671, John Wagstaffe published his, The question of witchcraft debated. Or a discourse against their opinion that affirm witches, considered and enlarged. In 1669, Wagstaffe had published his original edition of "The Question of Witchcraft Debated." This work was attacked in a 1670 book called, "The Opinion of Witchcraft Vindicated." That led to this 1671 expansion of Wagstaffe's original work, plus a necessary defense against charges that his questioning claims of witchcraft established that he was an atheist. In his book, Wagstaffe states that belief in witchcraft is based on "the knavish and gainful impostures of some men," and the "vain foolish credulity and frightful fancies of other men." His opinions did not exactly make Wagstaffe a popular man in his lifetime, but his book would be reprinted twice in the 18th century when witchcraft claims were finally being debunked. Item 117. £1,000 (US $1,795).
In the 17th and 18th centuries, "bills of mortality" were kept for London and surrounding parishes. These weekly reports may have been the first systematic attempt to keep track of the causes of death, valuable medical information. However, they were not entirely scientific. Generally, they were compiled by some poor person, frequently an old woman, desperate enough for pay to go to the homes of people who had just died and ask the cause. As the reports show, the next of kin did not always have an accurate understanding. Among the causes were headmouldshot, horshoehead, lunatick, purples, rising of the lights, St. Anthony's fire, water in the head, and the quite frequent griping of the guts. The most common cause was convulsion, with fever, consumption and age all vying for second place. For those who avoid the dentist, many deaths were attributed to the deceaseds' teeth, and five died of worms. The copy of this report can be seen on the image of the cover of this catalogue which appears on page one of this article. Item 85 is the report of April 24, 1722. £1,250 (US $2,243).
One of those deaths was attributed to drowning in the River Thames. This would certainly not have been an issue in the middle of the winter of 1715-16. That was one of those rare cold winters where the Thames froze solid. In those rare years, an event known as the "Frost Fair' took place. Dancing, drinking, eating and other festivities would be arranged on the frozen river. A mobile press was dragged onto the ice in 1716 and this broadside celebrating "the wonders of this icy year" was printed. Other notable freezes occurred in 1683-84, 1739-40, and 1813-14, when the last Frost Fair was held. Item 41. £1,500 (US $2,693).
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Old English Books and Manuscripts From Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books
Dr. Dood's fifth edition of Magdalen Hospital, published a year before his execution.
In 1640, the congregation of St. Anthony's in Cornwall received a most dramatic, if unclear message from the Lord. The remarkable event is retold in, The voice of the Lord in the temple. Or, a most strange and wonderfull relation of Gods great power, providence, and mercy, in sending very strange sounds, fires, and a fiery ball into the church of Anthony in Cornwall... Fourteen people were "smitten" by the thing, with around 200 being present to witness the event. Several people found parts of their body turned numb, one felt as if the water in his bladder had turned boiling hot. Amazingly, there were no deaths except for a small dog. It certainly must have scared the bejeezus out of this congregation, which would have struggled to divine the message. Today, we would attribute the event to a powerful case of ball lightening or possibly a small meteorite. Item 6. L1,100 (US $1,976).
William Dodd was a minister who engaged in a number of charitable causes, including reforming prostitutes, resuscitating apparently drowned persons, and freeing people imprisoned for small debts. Item 25 is a 1776 fifth edition of his, An account of the rise, progress and present state of the Magdalen Hospital, for the reception of Penitent prostitutes. If the lifestyle was a bit austere there, it was still a remarkably charitable undertaking for the time. Unfortunately, Dr. Dodd did not live an austere lifestyle himself, and was dismissed as the hospital's preacher when he went into exile in Geneva to escape his creditors. A year later, he forged a bill of exchange in an attempt to alleviate his debts and was hung for the crime. L1,750 (US $3,144).
Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books may be found online at www.shapero.com or reached by phone at +44 (0)20 7493 0876.
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