THE VISION OF PURGATORY,

Anno 1680.

IN WHICH The ERRORS and PRACTICES of the Church and Court of Rome are discovered:

WITH THE Influences they have upon THIS and Other NATIONS.

Written by Heraclito Democritus. (Edward Pettit).

Quicquid agunt Homines, Votum, Timor, Ira, Voluptas, Gaudia, Discursus, nostri, est Farrago Libelli.

Latin translated to roughly to English,

Whatever he Wishes, Fear, Anger, Pleasure and Reward for discussion, our medley of my book.

FIRST EDITION, published 1680.

Printed by T. N. For Henry Brome at the Gun in St. Paul’s Church-Yard.

With a very curious engraved Frontispiece depicting the destruction of St. Peter’s at Rome.

This title had controversy around the time of publication regarding the authors fictional portrayal of the famous Poet John Milton.

An excerpt from John Milton The Critical Heritage by John T. Shawcross.

‘Pettit on Milton’s Advancement of Papal Aims:

The vision of Milton as a papist seems ludicrous to us today, but Pettit was merely capitalising upon Milton’s notoriety as a governmental antagonist in the midst of the fears of the Popish Plot. Pettit’s knowledge of Milton and his works seems lacking, but Papal subversion is more startlingly underscored by his choosing one who was identified with the Puritanic State.’

Edward Pettit’s controversial portrayal of Milton can be read from page.99, see photos.

Also interestingly this work has the first recorded use of ‘ism’ as a standalone noun, a excerpt from Wiktionary below.

‘Many English nouns in -ism are loans of Greek nouns in -ισμός (mostly via Latin and French), such as Judaism from Ἰουδαισμός (a learned English formation based on Latin, coined ca. 1500). In Late Latin, the -ismus suffix became the ordinary ending for names of religions and ecclesiastical or philosophical systems or schools of thought, thus chrīstiānismus (whence 16th c. Christianism) in Tertullian, a trend continued in Medieval Latin, with e.g. pāgānismus attested by the 8th century. From the 16th century, such formations became very common in English, until the early 18th century mostly restricted to either root words of Greek or Latin origin (heroism, patriotism) or proper names (Calvinism, Lutheranism). Productivity from root words with evidently non-Latin and non-Greek origin dates to the late 18th century (e.g. blackguardism). Reflecting this productivity, use of ism as a standalone noun is attested by Edward Pettit (1680) and becomes common from the mid 18th century. The narrowed sense of forming terms for ideologies based on the belief of superiority is a "draft addition" submitted to OED in 2004, based on coinages such as racism (1932) or sexism (1936) and productive since the 1970s.’

This work has been noted in:

Bibliotheca Diabolica, Being a Choice Selection of the Most Valuable Books Relating to the Devil; His Origin, Greatness, & Influence ... with Some Curious Volumes on Dreams and Astrology. In Two Parts, Pro & Con--serious & Humorous.

Published 1874.

And,

A Catalogue of a Curious and Valuable Collection of Books.

By W. Ford.

Published 1811.

Further significant mentions of this work can be found in various other printed works since its publication in 1680.

This book is exceptionally rare, we have found information of only one other copy, none for sale, although there are likely more in private collections. The copy we discovered is at the National Trust Collection Library, Accredited Museum in Ickworth, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Condition:

Appears to have been recently rebound in mahogany stained calf leather. Gilt title to the spine, and to the upper front board. Blind tooled rule and corner work to front and back board edges. Strong firm hinges with no splitting.

Contents appears complete. Title page and Frontispiece in good condition. Throughout the contents there is light spotting/foxing. Some creasing, corner folds evident etc. A few pages have tiny holes, at some point in its history books worms have had a taste. Top corner of the margin on page 63/64 has a torn missing section, just about misses the text. All text is clearly legible throughout. No inscriptions.

Overall considering it’s age it is in remarkable condition, given a new lease on life with its rebind. Please do expect as described signs of age, use and wear.

The books measures 11.5cm x 18cm, 1.5cm thick.