Short title

Castell 1686

Year of publication

1686

Full title

Bibliotheca Castelliana, SIVE CATALOGUS VARIORUM LIBRORUM Plurimis Facultatibus Insignium, R. Doct. V. Edm. Castelli, D.D. Nuperrime Linguae Arabicae Professoris In Academia Cantab. Quos ingenti Sumptu, & Summa Diligentia ex ultimis Europiae partibus sibi procuravit. Quorum Auctio habenda est (in Gratiam, & Commodum Eruditorum Academ. Cantab.) AEdibus Rob. Skyrings, apud insignum Aquilae & Infantis ex adverso Ecclesiae S. Benedicti, Cantab. 30 die Junii 1686. Per Edoardum Millingtonum, Bibliopolam Lond. Catalogues are given to all Gentlemen Scholars, &c. at the place of Sale in Cambridg, and at Mr. William Millers at the Acorn in St. Paul's Church-Yard in London. 1686.

Type(s)

typerelation.type

Preface and paratexts

To the READER. / THIS Catalogue presents you with the Library of the Reverend and Learned Dr. Edmund Castell, (late Arabick Professor of the University of Cambridg) a Person so generally fam'd, for his admirable skill in the Oriental Languages, as having been principally concerned in the celebrated Work of the Biblia Polyglotta, as also the Compiler of the Lexicon Heptaglotton, an Undertaking designed originally for the Publick Good; which employed the greatest part of his Life, and in the compleating of it, he spent a considerable part of his Estate. It would be easy, did I design a Character of this worthy Man, to produce many other Instances of his Learning and Generosity, particularly the great Charge he was at in procuring, from most parts of the World, by the assistance of his Friends and Correspondents, those many rare and valuable Books in the Oriental part of the Library, that were subservient to the above-mentioned Lexicon. But being sensible that a larger Account of them, and of their scarcity, will be edifying to very few Persons, I conclude with this short description of the other parts of the Catalogue, viz. That the Theological, Historical, Medicinal, and Juridial, &c. contain many useful and inviting Books to all Gentlemen conversant in the aforefaid Sciences. / This Auction will begin on Wednesday the 30th of June, at the Sign of the Eagle and Child over against St. Benedict Church in Cambridg, from the Hours of Eight in the Morning to Eleven, and from one in the Afternoon to Five in the Evening; and there continue daily till all the Books are sold. / Conditions of Sale. / I. THat he who bid most, is the Buyer; and if any Difference arise, which the Company cannot decide, then the Book, or Books, shall be forthwith exposed to sale again. / II. That all the Books in this Catalogue, not otherwise expressed, (for ought we know) are perfect; but if any of them appear to be otherwise before they be taken away, the Buyer shall have his Choice of taking or leaving them. / III. That the fourth part of the price of the Book or Books bought, be paid by the Buyer at the time of Sale; and that he give us his Name and Degree, and of what Colledg or Hall he belongeth to (if a Scholar) and that the remainder of the Mony be paid within two days at the place of Sale, where the Book or Books shall be ready to be delivered.|FINIS.[after N@117]

Notes

"Castell gave detailed directions in his will for the disposal of his books and manuscripts, and “all my trunks and boxes wherein any of my books writings or manuscripts are”. All his Hebrew, Syriac, Samaritan, Ethiopic, Persian and Arabic manuscripts were given to Cambridge University Library; all his printed Hebrew books were given to Emmanuel College; and all his Bibles, including oriental versions, were given to Henry Compton, Bishop of London (there is a separate list of the books to be given to Compton in BL Add MS 22905, fo.99). The books given to Cambridge UL and Emmanuel were to be inscribed to mark the gift. His common law books were given to his grandson Edmund Harris, and his divinity books at Higham Gobion (except the Bibles for Compton) were given to his grandson William Harris. A few specified English books (Raleigh, Heylyn and Culpeper) were given to female relatives. The remaining stock of the Lexicon (ca. 600 copies) was also distributed among hisrelatives in parcels of 100 copies apiece.The extent to which these bequests were carried out is unclear. Compton (q.v.) received some Bibles, which he subsequently gave to Sion College. There are ca.10 books in Emmanuel with Castell’s inscription, although some accounts suggest that more were originally received. None of the manuscripts intended for Cambridge UL were ever taken in and it seems likely that these were returned to Castell’s executors to help to pay the debts of his estate. It seems likely that the bequests to family members may have been wholly or partly dealt with in the same way, as books in divinity and law were included in the sale of the bulk of Castell’s library, which was held by auction in Cambridge by Edward Millington on 30 June 1686. " (Pearson)

Library

Shelf mark

Scans

Types

auction catalogue private library

Lots