Theatrvm chemicvm britannicum
Subtitle: containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English philosophers, who have written the hermetique mysteries in their owne ancient language
By: faithfully collected into one volume, with annotations thereon, by Elias Ashmole, Esq., qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus ; the first part
Contributors: Cross, Thomas, fl. 1632-1682; Vaughan, Robert, 17th cent; Goddard, John, fl. 1645-1671
Publisher: Printed by J. Grismond for Nath. Brooke ...
Published: 1652
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 486
Other titles: Theatrum chemicum britannicum
Notes: No more published.

T.p. printed in red and black; vignette.

Contents (p. [1], final sequence of pagination) comprises 31 entries, including: Ordinall of alchemie / Thomas Norton. Compound of alchemie / George Ripley. Chanon's yeoman's tale / Geoffry Chaucer. Sir Edward Kelley's Worke. Doctor John Dee's Testament. Secreta secretorum / Iohn Lydgate.

Most of the 11 engraved ill. by Robert Vaughan are within borders decorated with birds, insects, small animals and flowers. Some are signed in the plate. Woodcut tailpiece (two-headed dragon with sun and moon) appears on p. 212 and 379. Folded plate is engraved diagram, with title: Here followeth the figure conteyning all the secrets of the treatise both great & small. It is signed in the plate: John Goddard sculpsit. Engraved ill. on p. [437] signed in the plate: T. Cross sculp. Engraved horoscope of Edward Kelley, p. 479. Tailpieces, decorated initials, fleurons.

Includes errata, p. [8] and [9] at end.

Hogart, R.  Alchemy, 29

Wing A3987

Frontispiece of Library's copy is engraved port. of Ashmole, with legend: Pub. by WRichardson June 1, 1797 York House, 31 Strand. Remargined at top and foredge.