The Fate(s) of an Astrological Manuscript: Le Neve's Vindication and MS. Ashmole 418

Abstract

In the summer of 1642, Jeffrey Le Neve set out to exonerate astrology. A London physician, he busied himself sorting his case-notes of the previous seven years (from 22 May 1635 through 6 June instant). He then compiled summaries of these consultations. Each summary comprised a neatly ruled horoscope, record of his initial discussion with the client over the horoscope’s significance, and, in most instances, a final assertion that his prognostic advice had proved sound even if, as sometimes happened, Le Neve had had to go out of his way to verify this from sources other than his ungrateful or doubting client. Le Neve intended these summaries, some six hundred of them, for public consumption. Rather than engage in arcane debate, and refute already published criticisms of astrology, Le Neve’s main strategy was to overawe readers with data, or, according to the title-page, the sheer quantity of ‘experimentall observations’ that could be verified. Show more