John Greaves, 1652

GREAVES, John (1602-1652). Astronomica quaedam ex traditione Shah Cholgii Persae. London: printed by Jacob Flesher for Cornelius Bee, 1652.

Second edition of Greaves's scarce work. Mahmūd Shāh Cholgi (fl. c.15th century), the ruler of Malwah in central India from 1435 to 1469, is generally credited as the author-compiler of the astronomical tables and commentary found in the Persian work Zīj-i jāmi. Here Greaves publishes the first section of this work with a facing Latin translation. An English mathematician and astronomer, Greaves traveled to the Middle East in 1637 where he collected Arabic, Perisan and Greek manuscripts. Scarce: RBH records only four copies in the past 25 years, and none of the first 1650 edition at all. An early example of a work printed in Persian to appear in England. Wing C3923.

Quarto (196 x 140mm). Persian text with facing Latin translation, woodcut diagrams in text, title and text with ruled border (repair to title at gutter; worming to margin). Later calf, bound on the right (rebacked, corners renewed, minor repairs to endpapers). Provenance: Owen Gingerich (bookplate).