CHRYSOSTOMOS, Johannes.

Basel, Officina Frobeniana, 1530-58. Folio. (20),+ 590,+ (2); 599,+ (1) pp; 1110 col,+ (1) pp. [=556 pp.]; 649,+ (3); 539,+(1); (83) pp. Part three with underlinings and marginal notes in ink on pp. 298-299 and col. 855-863, and on col. 1088 and 1095 in green ink. Part five with slight dampstain on top margin and with a Hebrew annotation in red ink on page 55. Contemporary blindstamped pig skin bindings over wooden boards, three volumes. Volume one and three uniform, boards with outer border with hunter and birds, inner bords with flower patterns and a ”C” in ink on top on front boards, spines with trace of labels on the top compartment and with library ink numbers, 593 resp. 595, in the lower compartment. Volume two differ slightly, boards with the crucification in a middle stamp surrounded by the Seven Virtues and biblical figures and finally flower patterns, spine with handwritten title. Volume two with preserved metal clasps, these are partly removed from volume one and three. Volume one and three with owner’s ink inscription on title by Christopher Wertwein from Pforzheim dated 1538, and with library and ex-library stamp from Kantonsbibliothek Solothurn (Schweiz), volume one also with traces of a removed large handcoloured woodcut heraldic bookplate. Volume two from the library of Victor von Stedingk, with his bookplate put over traces of a larger removed bookplate and with his pencil notes on front fly leaf. VD16 J 399 resp. J 402. Adams C1514 & C1519. Fine set, even if they are from two different editions and differ in provenance, of Froben’s edition of Chrysostomos (Chrysostome) in the latin translation of Erasmus of Rotterdam. All parts in the second edition from 1530 except part three (volume two) which is in the fourth edition from 1558. They were first published in 1517. Part one contains Erasmus’ Life of Chrysostom, ”Vita Divi Ioannis Chrysostomi ex historiae quam Tripartitam vocant libro decimo magna ex parte concinnata, per Des. Erasmum Roterodamum”.Johannes Chrysostomus, (c. 347-407) was one of the great Church Fathers, especially important for the Greek Orthodox church were he early became a saint. He was born in Antiochia where he also studied and where he gained large popularity thanks to his many public sermons. From 397 he served as archbishop of Constantinople where he stirred up much controvery and ended up in exile. Around 700 sermons and 246 letters, plus biblical commentaries etc. have survived and are still studied. He is known for his preachings and public speakings and for his many homilies, both over the New and the Old Testament, and for his care for the poor and the needy. Today he is perhaps most known for his strongly anti-Jewish views in sermons gathered as ”Adversus Judaeos” and his standing against homosexuality. The early owner of volume one and three was probably Christoph Wertwein (c. 1512-1553) from Pforzheim, who was a theologian and priest. He was court preacher and confessor to king Ferdinand (later Emperor Ferdinand I) and in 1552 he was appointed bishop in Vienna but shortly afterwards he suddenly died in a riding accident.