, one of the astrological impostors of the seventeenth century, was
, one of the astrological impostors
of the seventeenth century, was born at Wheatly near Oxford, Dec. 31, 1627. His father, William, was a farmer
of that place, and his mother was a daughter of sir John
Curzon of Waterperry, knt. Our conjuror was first put
apprentice to Thomas Nicols, a taylor, in Oxford, but
leaving his master in 1644, he went up to London, and
became a pupil of the noted William Lilly, under whom
be profited so far as to be soon enabled “to set up the
trade of almanack-making and fortune-telling for himself.
”
His pen was employed for many years on nativities, almanacks, and prodigies. There is, we believe, a complete
collection of his printed works in the new catalogue of the
British Museum, and vre hope we shall be excused for not
transcribing the list. Dodd, who has given an account of
him, as a Roman catholic, says that some of his almanacks,
reflecting upon the management of state affairs during the
time of Oates’s plot, brought him into trouble. While
other astrologers were content to exercise their art for the
benefit of their own country only, Gadbury extended his
to a remote part of the globe, as, in 1674, he published
his “West India, or Jamaica Almanack
” for that year.
He collected and published the works of his friend sir
George Wharton in 1683, 8vo. His -old master Lilly, who
quarrelled with him, and against whom he wrote a book
called “Anti-Merlinus Anglicus,
” says he was a “monster
of ingratitude,
” and “a graceless fellow;
” which is true,
if, according to his account, he had two wives living at
one time, and one of them two husbands. Lilly adds, that
be went to sea with intention for Barbadoes, but died by
the way in his voyage. When this happened we are not
told. Lilly died in 16S1, and according to Wood, Gadbury was living in 1690. “The Black Life of John Gadbury
” was written and published by Partridge in