Dariot, Claude; tr. W., F. (= Withers, Fabian) ‘A Brief and most easie Introduction to the Astrological Iudgement of the Starres. Whereby the diligent Reader with easie laboure may give a certen, true, and determinate Iudgement to any Question demanded, upon the naturall causes thereof. Written by the most famous Phisition Claudius Dariot: and translated by F. W. gent. And lately renued, and in some places augmented and amended by G. C. Gentl. Whereunto is annexed a most necessarie Table for the finding out of the Planetarie and unequall houre, under the Latitude of 52 Gr. 30 Mi. exactly calculated by the sayde F. W.[1] Printed by Thomas Purfoot, London, 1598; bound (as issued) with G. C.[2] ‘A Treatise of Mathematicall Phisicke, or briefe Introduction to Phisicke, by Iudiciall Astronomy. Intreating very exactly and compendiously of the Natures and Qualities of all disaeases incident to humane bodyes by the naturall influence of the Caelestiall motions. Never before handled in this our Native language, written by G. C. gent. Practicioner in Phisicke. Whereunto is added a most ready and perfect Table, of the Planetarie and unequall howers under the Latitude of 51 deg. 43 mi. which is the true meridian of this most famous Citie of London, exactly calculated by the sayde G. C.’ Printed by Thomas Purfoot, London, 1598.
Vellum (heavily chipped and torn at rear cover; slightly chipped at front cover and top of spine). Dariot: [1 leaf] + [3] + [134] + [leaf of volvelle cut-outs][3] +[11] + [2]. G. C.: [1 leaf] + [66][4] + [2]
[1] The main title page continues with a notice of the G. C. treatise to follow: ‘Also hereunto is added a brief Treatise of Mathematicall Phisicke…’ (the remainder takes almost exactly the same form as the separate title page for the G. C. treatise
[2] The identity of this author is not known. He is represented perplexingly as “Buxtorfius, Joannes Ludovicus” in the Arhat Bibliography (in the Association for the Retrieval of Historical Astrological Texts Journal No. 1)
[3] This leaf is supposed to have been cut out and its parts fitted to two volvelle diagrams earlier in the book, but this has not yet been done; and in view of the antique age of the book probably now never will be
[4] Of 68: lacks leaf A2 ‘To the Courteous Reader’ with diagram ‘On the Anatomie of Man’s Body’ to the reverse; following the 66 (of 68) pages, a fold-out table of ‘planetary howers’ is also missing from this copy.
About this book scan:
Carefully scanned in full colour from our original printing of the 1598 second edition of the English translation by Fabian Withers, as purchased from Krown & Spellman Booksellers of California, USA in the 2000s.
Claude Dariot’s Introduction to the Judgement of The Starres was originally published in Latin in the 16th century. The first English translation appeared in 1583. It was reprinted in 1598, bound with an all-new treatise on medical astrology entitled A Treatise of Mathematicall Phisicke and credited simply to G. C., this being one of the first original astrological treatises of any kind to have been published in English. Both Dariot’s text and that of G. C. are reproduced in our scan of the 1598 edition.
NB: The G. C. text starts on p. 164 of the file. Please note that our original lacks leaf A2 ‘To the Courteous Reader’ with diagram ‘On the Anatomie of Man’s Body’ to the reverse; and, following the 66 (of 68) pages, a fold-out table of ‘planetary howers’. The text from A2 has been retyped and included on p. 166. The table of planetary hours has been recreated as a ruled table faithfully to the original on p. 233.