A Literary History of Ecclesiastical Writers (1688-1698) - Page 2

Handwritten bibliographic note at the top of the page
1-4 2 volumes. (Cave's and Wharton's Appendix) Henry Wharton was an English scholar who wrote a significant supplement to Cave's biographical history.

Large handwritten annotation across the center of the page
Figure for number 11 26

An engraved heraldic bookplate shows a central shield divided into quarters. An Earl's coronet sits atop the shield. Two foxes stand on either side as supporters. A scroll at the bottom displays the motto "To act without speaking" original: "FAIRE SANS DIRE".

The Earl of Ilchester.

E A printed circular emblem. The border text reads "Hermetic Philosophy" original: "PHILOSOPHIA HERMETICA". Inside the circle, a blue oval depicts a mother pelican plucking her breast to feed her young, an image known as a pelican in her piety. Light rays shine from above. A small shield with four red roses on a white background sits below the bird.

Earl of Ilchester: A title in the Peerage of Great Britain. The family name is Fox-Strangways.

Hermetic Philosophy: original: "Philosophia Hermetica". A philosophical and esoteric tradition based on writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. It influenced early modern science and alchemy.

Pelican in her piety: A symbol of self-sacrifice. It represents a mother bird feeding her chicks with her own blood. In this period, it often symbolized Christ or the alchemical process of nourishment.

Heraldry: The practice of designing and displaying coats of arms to show family lineage and status.

Bookplate: A label pasted into a book to identify the owner.

William Cave: The primary author of this biographical history of the Church.

Henry Wharton: A scholar and librarian who wrote the appendix to Cave's work.

To act without speaking: original: "Faire Sans Dire". The French motto belonging to the Earl of Ilchester.