Beschreibung:

BERCHORIUS, Petrus (c.1290-1362). Liber Bibliae moralis . Deventer: Richardus Pafraet, 1477.
BERCHORIUS, Petrus (c.1290-1362). Liber Bibliae moralis . Deventer: Richardus Pafraet, 1477. Chancery 2° (280 x 206mm). Collation: A-B 1 0 C-E 8 a-z 1 0 aa-hh 1 0 ii 1 2 2A 1 0-H 1 0 I 6 K-L 8 (A1 blank, A2r prologue and table, a1 blank, a2r on the Old Testament, ii12 blank, 2Ar on the New Testament, L7v colophon printed in red, L8 blank). 464 leaves (of 468, lacking index leaves E4.5 and without the first and final blanks); sheet 2B1.10 reversed in binding. 42 lines, double column. 4- to 9-line initials, major initials in red with contrasting Maiblumen decoration in purple penwork (one in blue with red penwork), small lombard initials and capital strokes in red, a few later headlines. Type: 90G a. (Occasional light marginal waterstaining.) Modern brown morocco, red spine label, red edges. Provenance : Williams (armorial bookplate) -- U.P. (bookplate). THE FIRST BOOK PRINTED AT THE FIRST PRESS AT DEVENTER. Pafraet established his press at Deventer, home to a famous school of the Brothers of the Common Life, whose pupils included Thomas à Kempis and Erasmus. This, his first known book, is a typically handsome, substantial production directed at the Brothers' house and their extensive network. For his edition - the fourth in print -- Pafraet rearranged the extensive index which had first appeared in the Strassburg edition to give the book greater utility and to fulfill Berchorius' stated objective in compiling the text: to provide an aid to preachers composing sermons by analysing Biblical passages, interpreting its symbolism and drawing out morals. Berchorius earned high praise from his contemporary Petrarch, particularly for his work on Livy's Roman History, which Berchorius translated into French at the command of Jean le Bon. HC 2796; GW 3864; BMC IX, 112 (IB. 47501); IDL 729; Cinquième centenaire 140; Goff B-338.