PETTUS, John.
(1613 – 1690)
Pettus was Knighted when only aged 28, and fought for Charles I, but was appointed deputy-governer of the royal mines by Cromwell in 1655. Elected a member of parliment for Dunwich in 1670.
Biographical references: Allibone, Dictionary of English Literature, 1859-71. • BBA: I 871, 92-97. • DNB. • Watt, Bibliotheca Britannica, 1824. • WBI.
1. English, 1670.
[Contained within a double rule box:] Fodinæ Regales. | Or The | History, | Laws | And | Places | Of The | Chief Mines and Mineral | Works in England, Wales, and the English Pale | in Ireland. | As also of the Mint and Mony. | With | A Clavis Explaining some difficult Words | relating to Mines, &c. | [double rule] | By Sir John Pettus, Knight. | [double rule] | London: | Printed by H.L. and R.B. for Thomas Basset at the George | in Fleetstreet, near Cliffords Inne. | M. DC. LXX.
2°: π1 A-Z2 2A-2I2; 65l.; [14], 1-108, [8] p., frontispiece (portrait of Pettus). Page size: 290 x 180 mm.
Contents: [Frontispiece].; [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pages], Dedication to Prince Rupert, signed Jo. Pettus 1670.; [2 pages], Dedication to Lord Ashley, signed Jo. Pettus 1670.; [2 pages], Dedication, "To my Honored Friends of the Societies."-signed Jo. Pettus 1670.; [5 pages], "An | Introduction | To This | History."; [1 page], Blank.; 1-108, Text.; [6 pages], "An Explanation of several Words used in | this History, as an Eßay to the larger Dictionary | of Metallick and Chymical Words, mentioned | in the Preface."; [1 page], "Corrigenda."; [1 page], Blank.
Plates: The frontispiece shows a portrait of Pettus' bust within an octagonal frame. Underneath is the wording, "Iohannes Pettvs Eqves | Avratvs Hic Tacens Illc Scribens | Alibi Loqvens. Agens Patiens. Ætate. 57- | 1670." The plate is signed, "W. Sherwin ad viuum facibat."
Very scarce. Only edition. This work was undertaken at the request of Prince Ruper, was the author's first publication. Pettus was deputy governor of the royal mines in England and Wales, serving both Charles I and II. The fine frontispiece portrait by William Sherwin, shows Pettus at the age of 57.
Bibliographical references: BL. • Duveen, Bibliotheca Alchemica et Chemica, 1965: p. 468. • Freilich Sale Catalog: nos. 429-431. • Hoover Collection: no. 634. • LKG: XIV 405. • NUC. • Wing: P-1908.
2. English, 1683 [First edition, issue A].
[Contained within a double rule box:] Fleta Minor. | [rule] | The | Laws | Of | Art and Nature, | In | Knowing, Judging, Assaying, Fining, Refining | and Inlarging the Bodies of confin'd | Metals. | [rule] | In Two Parts. | [rule] | The First contains Assays of Lazarus Erckern, | Cheif Prover (or Assay-Master General of the Empire of | Germany) in V. Books: oringinally written by him in the | Teutonick Language, and now translated into English. | The Second contains Essays on Metallick Words, as a | Dictionary to many pleasing Discoures. | [rule] | By Sir John Pettus, of Suffolk, Kt. Of the Society for the | Mines Royal. | [rule] | Illustrated with 44 Sculptures. | [rule] | Mal. 3.3. Numb. 31.31. | Jehovah Chimista Supremus. | Carolus D.G. Secundus. | [rule] | London, | Printed, for the Author, by Thomas Dawks, his Majesty's | British Printer, at the West-end of Thames-street. 1683.
[Contained within a double rule box:] Fleta Minor, | [rule] | Spagyrick Laws, | [rule] | The Second Part. | [rule] | Containing | Essays | On | Metallick Words: | Alphabetically composed, as a Dictionary | To | Lazarus Erckern. | Illustrated with two Sculptures. | [rule] | By Sir John Pettus, of Suffolk, Knight. | [rule] | Scire tuum nihil est, | Nisi te scire, hoc sciet alter. | [rule] | London, | Printed, for the Author, by Thomas Dawks, his Majesty's | British Printer, at the West-end of Thames-street. 1683.
2 parts in one volume. [Part 1] 2°: π2 B-C2 2A2 [a]-[g]2 A-4S2 4T1; 195l.; [44], 1-345, [1] p., frontispiece (portrait by R. White), 42 text engravings.; [Part 2] 2°: [A]-[Mm]2 [Nn]1; 71l.; [8], [1]-133, [1] p., 2 text engravings. Pages 1 to 80 are not numbered. Large gothic initials throughout. Page size: 355 x 222 mm.
Contents: [Part 1] [Frontispiece].; [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pages], "Epistle Dedicatory."-signed John Pettvs, 26 February 1683.; [2 pages], "To the Right Honourable, George Marquess, ..."-signed John Pettus.; [2 pages], "To the Noble and Honoured Subscribers | and Contributors to this Book."-signed John Pettus.; [2 pages], "To my Worthy Friend, Richard Manlove, Esq. ..."-signed John Pettus.; [2 pages], "To the Courteous Reader."-signed John Pettus.; [4 pages], "The | Preface | Of | Lazarus Erckern, | To his following Books."; [18 pages], "The first Part, | ... | The Contents of the Chapters..."; [9 pages], "The | Contents | Of The | Sculptures | ..."; [1 page], Errata.; 1-345, Text.; [1 page], Blank.
[Part 2] [2 pages], Title page, verso blank.; [6 pages], "Kind Reader, ..." [=subscriber's list].; [1]-133, Text [=dictionary of terms].; [1 page], Blank.
Plates: Frontispiece: Portrait of Pettus's face and shoulders within an oval frame and seated on a pedestal. Text underneath reads: "Honestus at Pic. | AGRM. | Sr. John Pettus of Suffolk Kn.t 1641 | One of the Dep.ty Governors of {\ea{y}} Mines Royall, | 1651. Auratus Infletatus. 1679. The portrait is signed R. White, Sculp.
Rare. The first portion of this volume contain's Pettus' tranlation, the only ever done into English, of Lazarus Ercker's Aula Subterranea Domina Dominantium Subdita Subditorum (1st ed., Pragæ, 1574). This section by Ercker is one of the fundemental early texts in the field, containing considerable important information about the processes of mining and refining ores, including directions for building the requisite ovens and cauldrons. The second part, with its own title page dated 1683, which is Pettus' original contribution to the volume, contains "essays on metallick words, as a dictionary to many pleasing discourses." This is the first metallurgical dictionary in English consisting of a glossary of about 600 terms used in mineralogy, mining and assaying. The engraved illustrations are used for illuminating the technological detailed discussed in the text.
This work was reissued with a new title page in 1686, and it is that issue that is most commonly encountered.
Bibliographical references: BL. • Dibner, Heralds of Science, 1955: 89. • Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 432. • Honeyman Sale: 6:2461. • Hoover Collection: no. 633. • LKG: VIII 1 & XVI 58. • NUC. • Wing: P-1906.
3. English, 1686 [First edition, issue B].
[Contained within a double rule box:] [in red:] Fleta Minor. | [in black:] The | [in red:] Lavvs | [in black:] of | [in red:] Art and Nature, | [in black:] In | Knowing, Judging, Assaying, Fining, Refining | and Inlarging the Bodies of confin'd | [in red:] Metals. | [in black, rule] | In Two Parts. | [rule] | The First contains Assays of Lazarus Erckern, | Chief Prover (or Assay-Master General of the Empire of Ger- | many) in V. Books: originally written by him in the | Teutonick Language, and now translated into English. | The Second contains Essays on Metallick Words, | as a Dictionary to many pleasing Discourses. | [rule] | By [in red:] Sir John Pettus, [in black:] of Suffolk, Kt. Of the Society for the | Mines Royal. | [rule] | Illustrated with 44 Sculptures. | [rule] | Mal. 3. 3. Numb. 31. 31. | Jehovah Chimsta Supremus. | Carolus D.G. Secundus. | [rule] | [in red:] London, | [in black:] Printed for and sold by [in red:] Stephen Bateman [in black:] at the Sign | of the Bible over against Furnivals-Inss Gate | in Holbourn. MDCLXXXVI.
[Contained within a double rule box:] Fleta Minor, | [rule] | Spagyrick Laws, | [rule] | The Second Part. | [rule] | Containing | Essays | On | Metallick Words: | Alphabetically composed, as a Dictionary | To | Lazarus Erckern. | Illustrated with two Sculptures. | [rule] | By Sir John Pettus, of Suffolk, Knight. | [rule] | Scire tuum nihil est, | Nisi te scire, hoc sciet alter. | [rule] | London, | Printed, for the Author, by Thomas Dawks, his Majesty's | British Printer, at the West-end of Thames-street. 1683.
2 parts in one volume. [Part 1] 2°: π2 B-C2 2A2 [a]-[g]2 A-4S2 4T1; 195l.; [44], 1-345, [1] p., frontispiece (portrait by R. White), 42 text engravings. Title page in red and black.; [Part 2] 2°: [A]-[Mm]2 [Nn]1; 71l.; [8], [1]-133, [1] p., 2 text engravings. Pages 1 to 80 are not numbered. Large gothic initials throughout. Page size: 348 x 214 mm.
Contents: Indentical to the 1683 edition described in the previous entry.
Very scarce. The more commonly encountered issue, which appears in comparing copies side-by-side to be identical to the 1683 edition, except for a new title page in red and black.
Bibliographical references: BL. • NUC.
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