Astrologia Restaurata: or Astrologie restored:being an introduction to the general and chief part of the language of the stars…

Second edition, [8], 29, [3], 38, [12], 49-112, [12], 213-333, [19], woodcut headpieces and initials, rare frontispiece portrait, slight staining to initial two leaves, lacking blank F4, overall a very good copy, twentieth century half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, 4to (275 x 180mm), London, Printed for Robert, 1654.

The son of clockmaker David Ramsey, William (1626-1676) changed the spelling of his name to Ramesey (which he said meant ‘joy and delight’) because he thought his ancestors came from Egypt. He trained as a doctor in Montpellier, graduating in 1652 and later became physician in ordinary to Charles II.

Astrologia Restaurata begins with Ramesey’s autobiography and a short defence of astrology before dealing with the technical and scientific aspects of the subject. The first book is an “Introduction to the Judgement of the Stars” which reveals how to calculate a chart , the meanings of the planets, signs, aspects and how to read them and use them in a delineation. There follows an “Introduction to Elections” which is a detailed set of rules for electional astrology – i.e. how to choose the best time for a particular action. The final book is devoted to the study of heavenly cycles upon peoples and nations.

This second edition is textually the same as the first but with a new title. The frontispiece of Ramesey, engraved by Flemish painter Thomas Gross, is very scarce and not even called for by ESTC. This important work is very scarce, ESTC locating just five copies in the UK (two in the Wellcome) and ten in the US and one in Australia.

[Wing R 202; ESTC R10395]