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Abstract
The chapter concerns Jane Lead (1624–1704) and the Philadelphian Society. Besides the introduction, which provides biographical details about Lead as well as the necessary political, religious and social contexts, the main primary sources that have been selected are: letters written between May and October 1697 that were intercepted by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s agents; Richard Roach’s answer to five queries concerning his Philadelphian beliefs (2 November 1697); Lead’s published autobiography (1696), which was probably dictated to her amanuensis Francis Lee; an account of Lead’s last days and hours (1704), which was probably written by Lee; three letters from Lee to Pierre Poiret (1701–1703); six letters from Lee to German-speaking Philadelphians (1704); selections from the papers of Richard Roach (1687–c.1705); a vision of Jane Lead after her death (1704); and a letter from Roach to August Hermann Francke (1726).
This article focusses on knowledge of Boehme and his work, particularly among English speakers, before his writings had been translated into English. Accordingly, it covers the period from 1624 to 1641. Unsurprisingly, the people under discussion here – with one known exception – were foreigners, emigrants or those who had travelled abroad. Moreover, as might be expected, they were not monolingual but usually had command of Latin and sometimes German and Dutch as well. Motivations for learning about and engaging with Boehme’s texts varied widely. For some the goal was evidently to achieve Protestant church unity, or at least to be forewarned about the nature of potential sectarian dissent. For others the impulse derived from a new spirit of prophecy that had sprung forth during the Thirty Years’ War – especially following the initial victories of Gustavus Adolphus. For others still, their concern was to accommodate Boehme within Paracelsian, alchemical-medical and Rosicrucian frameworks.
Contributors include: Viktoria Franke, Monika Frohnapfel, William Gibson, Mayte Green, Marios Hatzopoulos, Jacqueline Hermann, Ariel Hessayon, Warren Johnston, Lionel Laborie, Adelisa Malena, Andreas Pečar, Martin Pjecha, Michael Riordan, Luís Filipe Silvério Lima, Damien Tricoire, Leslie Tuttle, and Kristine Wirts.
Contributors include: Viktoria Franke, Monika Frohnapfel, William Gibson, Mayte Green, Marios Hatzopoulos, Jacqueline Hermann, Ariel Hessayon, Warren Johnston, Lionel Laborie, Adelisa Malena, Andreas Pečar, Martin Pjecha, Michael Riordan, Luís Filipe Silvério Lima, Damien Tricoire, Leslie Tuttle, and Kristine Wirts.