Robert Recorde, 1556

RECORD, Robert (1510-1558). The Castle of Knowledge. London: Reginald Wolfe, 1556.

Very rare first edition of the earliest major astronomical treatise, and one of the earliest English books written completely in the vernacular to have been printed in Roman type. Recorde's treatise on the construction and use of the sphere is based chiefly on Ptolemy, Proclus, Sacrobosco, and Oronce Fine, but is more than a synthesis of these earlier writers. "He devoted considerable space to a critical examination of the standard authorities, offering corrections of textual errors in the Greek authors and suggesting that the mistakes of Sacrobosco and others were caused by their lack of knowledge of Greek" (DSB). It also includes the first favorable reference to Copernican theory in English: "Copernicus a man of greate learninge, of muche experience, and of wonderfull diligence in observation, hathe renewed the opinion of Aristarchus Samius, and affirmeth that the earthe not only moveth circularlye about his owne centre, but also may be, yea and is, continually out of the precise centre of the world 38 hundreth thousand miles: but bicause the understanding of that controversy dependeth of profounder knowledge then in this Introduction may be uttered conveniently, I will let it passe tyll some other time" (qtd from the Fourth Treatise, p.165). The present copy is lacking 6 leaves in the first gathering. Norman 1807.

Small folio (261 x 170mm). Without dedication and preface. Woodcut title and illustrations (small loss at margin of title page, a couple worm holes). (Light dampstain visible to prelims, short marginal tear to Y6.) 18th century calf (rebacked, scuffed). Provenance: R. Symons, 1505 (ownership inscription to title and marginalia) – George Wilbraham (bookplate) – Owen Gingerich (bookplate).