Gilbert Burnet - [LOVE WITCHCRAFT] The History of the Reformation of the Church of England [7 PLATES] - 1715

DESCRIPTION: I present for auction a truly imposing volume (34x24cm and 4kg) on British religious and political history: the celebrated "History of the Reformation of the Church of England," written by the influential bishop, historian, and theologian Gilbert Burnet (Lord Bishop of Sarum).

Printed in London in 1715 in its Fourth Edition (the most highly regarded for incorporating additions, alterations, and emendations communicated by many hands), this large-folio volume combines a rigorous institutional chronicle with an exceptional array of illustrations.

ILLUSTRATED PROGRAM: SPECTACULAR INTAGLIO PORTRAITS AND FRONTISPIECE

The book stands out for its richly varied program of copper engravings, signed by leading masters of the period (such as R. White), which capture the features of the great figures of the English schism with Baroque realism:

+ Large Symbolic Engraved Frontispiece: An impressive architectural plate at the beginning, showing King Henry VIII and a churchman holding the Bible, flanking an allegorical scene depicting the triumph of Religion over Superstition and the destruction of papal decrees.

Full-Page Oval Portraits (Tudor Series):

-> King Henry VIII (Henricus VIII): Portrait based on the celebrated painting by Hans Holbein, with rich royal attire, jeweled necklaces, and a coat of arms featuring lions and dragons on the pedestal.

-> Catherine of Aragon (Catharina Regina): Superb engraving of the queen consort with her characteristic gable hood, pearl coif, and royal jewels.

-> Cardinal Thomas Wolsey: Solemn profile of the all-powerful cardinal and papal legate, wearing a cardinal's biretta and displaying his ecclesiastical coat of arms.

-> Archbishop Thomas Cranmer: Portrait of the architect of Anglican liturgy holding the Holy Scriptures, with details of his birth and tragic martyrdom at the stake (1556 Mar. 21).

-> Anne Boleyn (Anna Bullen Regina Angliae): Magnificent portrait of Elizabeth I's mother, highlighting her elegant headdress and noting her execution (Capite plexa. An.º 1536 May 19).

-> Thomas Cromwell (Earl of Essex): Profile portrait with an inscription recording his fall from favor and beheading (Capite truncatus July 28 1540).

Among the pages of this great chronicle and the portraits of the leading architects of the Anglican schism lie dark stories of occultism that shaped the fate of the Tudor court:

+ The Shadow of Necromancy and Prophecies about Anne Boleyn: The Catholic enemies and contemporary detractors of Queen Anne Boleyn did not hesitate to spread black legends about her rise, accusing her of having seduced King Henry VIII using love potions, witchcraft, and hidden spells. A sensational rumor even circulated that she had an extra finger on her right hand—regarded at the time as an unmistakable sign of a demonic pact—and that she secretly consulted astrologers and necromancers to learn the future of her lineage before falling from favor and being beheaded in the Tower of London. These claims were published by the Catholic priest Nicholas Sander in "De Origine ac Progressu Schismatis Anglicani, 1585."

+ Cardinal Wolsey and His Magic Mirrors: The all-powerful Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, whose profile is immortalized in the volume, was famous not only for his lavish political power but also for his recurring dabbling in the occult sciences and judicial astrology. His contemporaries accused him of keeping divination instruments, forbidden books on Kabbalah, and magic mirrors in his private chambers to peer into the future of the Crown, a clandestine pastime that his political rivals later used as evidence of treason against the state and the Church. These claims were explained and circulated by the Duke of Norfolk and the supporters of the Boleyns, among others.

+ The Divorce Proceedings of Henry VIII: A thorough analysis of the legal and theological maneuvers to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and clear the way for his union with Anne Boleyn.

+ The King's Declaration as Supreme Head: The process by which the monarch wrested power from Rome and established himself as the absolute head of the Church of England.

+ The Fall of the Kingdom's Great Men: Detailed accounts of the disgrace, removal from office, and tragic end of key figures such as Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, as well as the dissolution of the monasteries and confiscation of ecclesiastical wealth.

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: London (England, United Kingdom) 1715.

LANGUAGE: English (Original Version)

SIZE AND PAGINATION: Dimensions: 34 x 22 cm. Pagination: [4] + Frontispiece + Title page + [14] + 356 + 338 + [4] pp. COMPLETE FIRST PART

CONDITION: Original full-leather binding, in generally good condition, with some scuffing and signs of use, as shown in the photos. Leather darkened around the spine. Six raised bands on the spine. The interior is in good condition, with occasional foxing due to the composition of the paper, as shown in the photos.

RARE COPY WITH BEAUTIFUL FULL-PAGE PORTRAITS. DON'T MISS OUT.

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