16TH-CENTURY BOOKS
16TH-CENTURY BOOKS
German
RENAISSANCE Caesar — Lushly Illustrated
Caesar, Julius. Julius der erst römisch Keiser von seinem Leben und Krieg, erstmals uss dem Latein in Tütsch gebracht vnd mit andrer Ordnung der Capittel und uil zusetz nüw getruckt. [Strassburg: Durch Joannem Grüninger, vff sant Adolffs des heiligen Bischoffss, 1508]. Folio (31 cm; 11.5"). A6 Aa8 B6 C4 D–N6 O4 P–Z6 Zz6; [148] ff., illus.
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This handsome and 
SCARCE book is famous for its woodcut illustrations: It has one quarter-page, four half-page, one three-quarter page, and 
eleven full-page woodcuts. These include battle scenes, the assassination, camp life, etc., all of the figures being dressed anachronistically in Renaissance garb.
The text is printed in large gothic in double-column format.
Of the first edition we find only two copies in the U.S. (Harvard and Stanford), and of the second we trace three (Brown, Duke, and Trinity College), all being incomplete except the Brown copy.• Index Aurel. 128.654; Schmidt, Repertoire bibliographique Strasbourgeois, no. 91, p. 40–41; Schweiger, II, 51; not in Adams (who only lists much later editions in German). Recased in an 18th-century vellum-over-boards binding. Sophisticated copy in all likelihood, with several leaves apparently supplied from a different copy, those leaves being either slightly smaller than the others or more heavily sized. Occasional light waterstains in from a very few margins; two leaves with old scribbling in ink in margins; minor worming in lower margin of last six leaves. 
A very nice copy of a very scarce book that is clearly difficult to find complete, incomplete, or sophisticated.
Life & Letters — A German Neo-Latin Poet Camerarius, Joachim. Narratio de H. Eobano Hesso, comprehendens mentionem de compluribus illius aetatis doctis & eruditis uiris, composita à Ioachimo Camerario Pabebergensi. Epistolae Eobani Hessi ad Camerarium & alios quosdam, familiari in genere .... Norimbergae: Ioanne Montano & Ulrico Neubero, 1553. 8vo (16.3 cm, 6.4"). A–Z8a–b8 (O4 bound in after O5); [200] ff. [bound with] Hessus, Helius Eobanus. Libellus alter, epistolas complectens Eobani et aliorum quorundam doctissimorum virorum, necnon versus varii generis atque argumenti.... Lipsiae: Ex officina Papae, 1557. 8vo. A–K8 (-A8); [79] ff. (last leaf of preface/errata lacking). [and the same author’s]. [Tertius libellus epistolar. Eobani et aliorum.] [colophon:] Lipsiae: M. Ernesti Voegelini Constantiensis, 1561. 8vo. A–T8 (-A1, -T8 [final blank]); [150] ff. (title-page and final blank lacking).
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• Narratio: Adams C436; Brunet, II, 1009; VD16 C480 / VD16 C408. Libellus: Brunet, II, 1009; VD 16 C409; not in Adams. Tertius libellus: Brunet, II, 1009; VD16 C410. Binding as above, spine with later hand-inked paper label; binding much darkened and somewhat rubbed, one clasp intact and the other lacking. First title-page with ownership inscription dated 1559 inked in lower margin; Libellus alter lacking last leaf of preface (with errata on reverse) and Tertius libellus epistolar lacking title-page. Some corners dog-eared; two leaves with outer corners torn away, without loss to text. Early inked underlining and lining through of text, with a few marginalia, mostly in Narratio and occasionally in other two works. Last few leaves of final work with light waterstaining to lower outer corners.
The Dialogues of the
“Seraphic” Virgin — Catharina Catherine, of Siena, Saint. Dialogo dela seraphica virgine santa Catharina da Siena: el qual profondissimamente tratta de la divina provide[n]tia: de quasi tutti li peccati mortali & de molte altre stupende: & maravigliose cose. [Venetia: Marchio Sessa, 1540]. Small 8vo (16 cm). [32], 224 ff.
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This edition was densely printed in roman type at the Sessa Press. It has a large woodcut on the title-page of St. Catherine receiving the Stigmata and a small xylograph on the colophon page of the famous Sessa printer's device of the cat and mouse.
All pre-17th-century editions are scarce if not rare. Of this edition we trace only four library copies in the U.S., and this is one, deaccessioned, of that quartet.
• Index Aurel. 134.030; Essling 739; Sander 1819; Shaaber C268. Later vellum. Library bookplate on front pastedown and rubber-stamp on closed bottom edges; shadow of erased pencilled call number on a front blank. Semicircular stain of varying extent (not ink, not water, not wax) to pages of central section and but a very few other stains; pleasantly clean. Early, excellent repair to margin of last leaf. (12228)
The Pope Lays It Down Here Catholic Church. Pope (1590–1591: Gregory XIV). Declaration de n.s. pere le pape Gregoire XIIII. Sur les lettres qui luy ont esté escrites par la noblesse qui suit le Navarrois. Paris: Robert Nivelle & Rolin Thierry, 1591. 8vo (15.9 cm, 6.25"). 14, [2] pp.
Click the image for an enlargement. This little pamphlet appears to be a scarce variant; OCLC finds no holdings, and the title is not listed by Lindsay & Neu.
• Not in Lindsay & Neu, French Political Pamphlets 1547–1648. Disbound. Title-page with paper shelving label, institutional pressure-stamp, and residue from previous nonce binding along inner margin; four other pages also pressure-stamped. Additional inked pagination in upper outer corners, in an early hand. (24463)
Protestant
History ofthe
Cathars
Chassanion, Jean.
Histoire des albigeois: touchant leur doctrine & religion, contre les faux
bruits qui ont esté semés d'eux, & les ecris dont on les a
à tort diffamés: & de la cruelle & lõgue guerre
qui leur a esté faite, pour rauir les terres & seigneuries d'autrui,
sous couleur de vouloir extirper l'heresie. Le tout recueilli fidelement de
deux vieux exemplaires ecris à la main, l'un au langage du Languedoc,
l'autre en vieil François. Reduite en quatre liures par Iean Chassanion
de Monistrol, en Vellai. [Genève]: Chez Pierre de Sainctandré,
1595. 8vo. 252, [4] pp.
Click the interior images for enlargements. Scarce: A search of OCLC traces only seven copies in North America, one of which is this deaccessioned copy.
Evidence of readership: Many, many early pen “slashes” in margins indicating statements of interest in the text. An uncommon style.
• Graesse 125; Adams C1410; Brunet, I, 1817. Recent calf, blind-tooled in period style; perfectly plain without spine label. Worming to lower margins of title-page and five preliminary leaves; upper corners of several early pages bumped, brittle. Title-page has shallow tear at upper inner edge, not touching text, and an old strengthening repair at the gutter. Light foxing throughout. Ex-library with markings on title-page including a blind pressure-stamp, an inconspicuous ink notation just below the imprint, and faint traces of a librarian's penciling on verso; inked four-digit number at base of p. 3. Overall, a very good copy. (24457)
ANABAPTIST'ANA Chevalier de Malte. Lettre missive envoyee de Rome, par un chevalier de Malte, à un sien amy aussi cheualier en France: où est declaré les discordes qui est entre le grand Turc, & le Sophy Roy de Perse. Et aussi l'excecution de plusieurs Annabaptistes, en Cicille Naples & à la Pouille, comme verrez par ce presant discours. Paris: Hubert Velu, iouxte la coppie imprimée à Lyon, 1589. 8vo (15.5 cm, 6.1"). 14, [2 (blank)] pp.
Click the image for an enlargement. Scarce. NUC Pre-1956 and OCLC find no holdings (one U.S. holding found elsewhere online); not described by Lindsay and Neu.
• Not in Lindsay & Neu, French Political Pamphlets 1547–1648. Disbound. Each page institutionally pressure-stamped; title-page verso with inked numeral. Light staining along inner margins of first few leaves, just touching text in some instances. (24466)
The Augsburg Confession — 51 Documents
The First Much Annotated Chytraeus, David. Histoire de la confession d'Auxpourg, contenante les principauls traittez & ordonnances, faittes pour la religion, quand l'electeur Iehan, duc de Saxe auec les citez & autres princes protestants presenterent leur confession de foy (icy inserée) a l'Empereur Charles V. os estats generauls de l'empire, tenus a Auxpourg, 1530. Anvers: Chez Arnould Coninx, 1582. 4to (24.3 cm, 9.55"). [8], 835, [5] pp.
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Rare. OCLC lists only four U.S. holdings and one deaccessioned copy (the present example).
• Brunet 22420; Graesse, II, 154. Not in Adams. 19th-century quarter olive morocco with marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped author/title; edges and extremities rubbed. Top edge gilt. Front pastedown with bookplate as above; title-page and first text page each with early inked ownership inscription. Four leaves with small repaired tears from outer margins and three likewise from upper margins, not touching text in any case. Extensive early inked marginalia in first document, scattered examples elsewhere. (23536)
ELIZABETH Must Have Loved HisThinking on Monarchy Crompton, Richard, ed. L'authoritie et iurisdiction des
courts de la maieste de la Roygne: nouelment collect & compose, per R. Crompton del milieu Temple esquire. Apprentice del ley. Londini: Caroli Yetsweirti, 1594. 4to. [4], 232 ff.
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Written in Law French with some Latin, and with extended passages entirely in English in the section on “forrest” law; printed in black letter.
Provenance: Contemporary inked signatures to fly-leaf of Henry Wynn/Wine (Middle Temple?).
• ESTC S109077; STC (2nd ed.) 6050; Lowndes, I, 558. Contemporary limp vellum with remnants of ties. Pinhole or small worming throughout to top margins, touching a few letters in headings; light waterstaining to margins/corners of first/last leaves; one preliminary with just a very little bug-spotting. Paper flaws in margins of ff. 45, 164, and 172; last leaf a little tattered. Overall, very good. (21344)
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