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Two rare works on priesthood and education of priests in an interesting 16th century binding with the name of the first owner

CLICHTHOVE, Josse.
De vita et moribus sacerdotum, opusculum: singularem eorum dignitatem ostendens, & quibus ornati esse debeant virtutibus: explanans.

Printed title within elegant woodcut border with wreath, two scholars in upper corners on both sides of a coat-of-arms with three French lilies and a hand holding a book coming from heaven, and lace-strapwork in the lower corners; nice large and smal woodcut initials.

Paris, Ex officina Henrici Stephanus (Henri Estienne), 4 August 1519. 4to. Contemporary early 16th-century calf, ribbed spine, front cover blind tooled with triple rules, central panel with the name of the original owner: "D. Ioa(n)mes Lassere'', blind stamped in capitals, fleur-de-lys cornerpieces; back cover ruled in gilt with the motto ''Memento Mortis'' in gilt capitals. Printed title within elegant woodcut border with wreath, two scholars in upper corners on both sides of a coat-of-arms with three French lilies and a hand holding a book coming from heaven, and lace-strapwork in the lower corners; nice large and smal woodcut initials. 75, (1 blank) lvs.

With:
MARRE, Joannes. Enchiridion sacerdotale concinnatum ad salutarem eruditionem Christifidelium ab longe reverendo in Christo patre domino Ioanne Mare Condomiensis episcopo. In quo haec sunt capita ... (see below).
Paris, Jodocus Badius Ascensius, 25 November 1519. 4to. LXI (=LXXI), (1 blank) lvs. Nice woodcut initials.

Two rare works - both in first editions, both complete with their often lacking last leaves - on priesthood and education of priests in a interesting signed 16th century binding, finely produced by two of the most important printers/publishers of the 16th century, Henri Estienne, or Henricus Stephanus (1) and Josse Bade, or Jodocus Badius Ascensius (2).
Ad 1: First edition of this influential work on the priestly office by Josse Clic(h)thove (Nieuwpoort 1472-1543 Chartres). Clichthove was a theologian who began his studies at Louvain and went to Paris for his philosophical and theological studies. After receiving the doctorate in theology (1506) he was appointed professor at the Sorbonne. In 1515 he was asked to direct the studies of Louis Guillard, the Bishop-elect of Tournai, and four years later he accompanied him to this latter place. After a short stay there, he returned to Paris and in 1527 to Chartres, whither Guillard had been transferred. A champion of reform in philosophical and theological studies during the earlier part of his life, Clichthove devoted himself later almost exclusively to combating the doctrines of Luther. He gained a wide reputation in intellectual circles as the representative of theology among Lefèvre's collaborators. In particular, Wimpfeling and his disciples, such as Beatus Rhenanuns, showed great appreciation for his work. His works are numerous and belong to almost every department of theology and philosophy. Among his original works must be mentioned De verâ nobilitate opusculum (1512); Elucidatorium ecclesiasticum (1516); ad above all the present work, his De vitâ et moribus sacerdotum (1519). Increasingly Clichthove's efforts were devoted to a reform of the secular clergy. In this work he developed a new and comprehensive concept of the priestly office that anticipated the spirit of Trent. It also defended clerical celibacy and the fast, in opposition to Erasmus, although the latter is not mentioned by name. Already the next year a second edition was printed by Simon de Colines in Paris, followed by further editions in 1548, 1549 and 1550 (2x).
The title is printed in a woodcut frame, reproduced as a printer's device in Silvestre (nr. 844); on its verso starts the dedicatory letter to Louis Guilliard, dated Paris 1519. The text begins on f. 3r; the index is on f. 74v-75r, and the colophon on f. 75v; the work is complete including the often lacking last blank.
Ad 2: Very rare first edition of this collection of texts edited by Jean Marre, bishop of Condom, for the education of priests. As the title-page is loose and as there are two variant readings in the text of the title-page compared with the title as given by Renouard (l. 8: timenda,; and last l.: Prelo), the title may be a cancel. In that case our copy belongs to an unrecorded issue of the first edition!
This interesting work contains the following texts:
- f. ir: Title.
- f. iv: Letter of Jodocus Badius to Jean Marre, dated Paris, 24 November 1519 (edited by Renouard, p. 77-8).
- f. iir-xviv: Preface by Jean Marre (on the title: 'Quae sint de deo & de sancta trinitate credenda').
- f. xviv-xxr: Text on the two creeds: the Symbolum Apostolorem and the Symbolum Nicenae (on the title: 'Symboli Apostolici explanatio').
- f. xxr-xxir: Commentary on Corinth. 14 (on the title: 'Quinque verborum, scilicet quae sint credenda, agenda, vitanda, timenda, & speranda, explicatio').
- f. xxir-xxviir: Oratio dominica de virtutibus summis (on the title: 'Orationis dominicae declaration: cum virtutum praecipuarum enucleatione').
- f. xxviiv-lviiir: Treatise on penance, confession and the violations of the ten commandments (on the title: 'De poenitentia .xvii. capitum libellus Decalogum dominicum late elucidans').
- f. lviiir-lxvir: The treatise Regulae morales by the famous French scholar and divine and chancellor of the University of Paris Johannes Gerson (1363-1429). (on the title: 'Regulae morales M. Joannis Gerson').
- f. lxvir-lxxir: Text of and commenray by Josse Clichthove on the Creed Symbolum Athanasianum (on the title: 'Symboli seu Cantici Athanasiani expositio').

Provenance:
The two works are bound together in a binding made for 'D. Joannes Lassere': possibly a relative of Louis Lasseré (d. 1546 in Paris), author of works as Explication de l'Oraison dominicale ... et du Symbole des Apôtres (1532) and Les cérémonies de la Messe, à l'usage des rreligieuses. Our Lassere has also written his name on the first title: 'Lassere Vallis vivie..(?)' (erased).
A later owner was Howard Osgood who also entered his name on the first title.
The second work apparently has belonged to the Carthusians at Paris: in a 16th-century hand is written on the second title: 'Pro Carthusia Parisiensis'.
On the first title is a blind stamp of 'The 'L Seminary, Library, Rochester - Rockefeller Fund.'. On the lower edge is stamped 'Ambrose Swasey Library'.

Good copies, with ownership's entries on both titles; some markings in the first and underlinings, markings and some 16th-century annotations (partly trimmed) in the second work.- (Spine damaged with loss of leather. Ad 1: Lvs. 23 and 42 misnumbered; ad 2: First leaf partly loose (cancel?) and first leaves sl. soiled).

Ad 1: Renouard, Estienne, p. 22, nr. 9; Moreau II, 2019; Index Aurel. 141.731; Bibli. Belgica C415; Adams C2199; Contemp. of Erasmus I, pp. 317-20; not in Schreiber; ad 2: Renouard, Badius Ascensius III, pp. 77-8; Imprimeurs paris. II, nr. 486; Moreau II, 2140; .

Related Subjects: 16th Century Bindings Church History Paris Religion Theology

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