Important collection of sources for the biography of Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), put together and edited by Petrus Scriverius on the basis of the 1607 edition by Merula of the Compendium vitae, including a number of new sources and four hitherto unpublished letters by Erasmus. The humanist and independent scholar Petrus Scriverius (1576-1660) worked in Leiden outside the University, but he was in continuous contact with the most famous Leiden professors. Scriverius added commentaries and connecting texts by which the collection gained weight as materials for Erasmus' biography. Also through the later editions, edited by Thysius, and published by Joannes Maire in 1642 and 1649, the collection became very influential regarding Erasmus' "image" before the first critical biography of Erasmus was published by Joannes Clericus in 1705.
With a few (near-contemporary?) manuscript annotations and markings in the margins. The vellum and the title page are slightly (dust) soiled, the pastedowns have detached from the inside of the boards and the front pastedown is lacking the upper outer corner, the bottom outer corner of leaf C6 is sligthly damaged (not affecting the text), some occasional very slight foxing. Otherwise in good condition. Knaake II, 355a; STCN 832265039; Tuynman, 'Petrus Scriverius (1576-1660)', in: Quaerendo, 7 (1977), pp. 4-45, esp. 23-4; USTC 1027478; Vander Haeghen 182.