Hexameron, ou Six journées, contenans plusieurs doctes discours sus aucuns poincts difficiles en diuerses sciences [...].

8vo: [8]-489-[29, 2 bl.] pp. (sl. toned, some minor marg. dampstaining).

Contemp. limp overl. vellum, flat spine titled in ink (ties gone). Good copy.

2nd ed. (1st 1579) of the French trsl. from the Spanish by G. Chappuys (1546-1613) of "Jardin de flores curiosas" ("Garden of Peculiar Flowers, 1st Salamanca 1570), a book of the esoteric, bizarre, and spirit world. Torquemada shares stories of brownies or sprites "picking" on people, throwing stones at them, and showing general annoyance. He claims that exorcisms don’t work on brownies, however good and often one was performed. This book is a very early look into poltergeists, exorcisms, pagan folklore, and haunted houses... Antonio de Torquemada (1507-1569) here writes of the mysteries of the world: monsters, demons, witches, ghosts, strange animals, unusual customs, geography, supernatural phenomena. This book was read by Miguel de Cervantes and influenced the creation of Don Quixote. Woodcut mark on title.
Ref. Baudrier (Suppl.) 35:23. - Caillet 10761. - Palau 334.918. - Pettegree FB 49481. - STC French (BL) 423. - Not in Adams.
Prov. Catalogue cutting pasted in. - Stanislas de Guaïta (1861-1897), French Rosicrucian poet and expert on esotericism ("Ex libris kabbalisticis Stanislaj de Guaita 1889"on front flyleaf).