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HERETICAL CHRONICLE & TOLERANT COMPARISON OF WORLD RELIGIONS
FRANCK, Sebastien. Chronica, Tytboeck en Gheschiet Bibel, van aen begin der werelt, tot den jare M. D. XXXVI. verlengt. ...
1595 (colophon: The Hague, Albrecht Heyndricxz.).
INCLUDING: FRANCK, Sebastiaen. Werelt-boeck, Spieghel ende Beeltenisse des Gheheelen Aerdtbodems, ...
The Hague, Albrecht Heyndricxz., 1595. Folio. 4 parts in 2 volumes, bound as 1. Title-page in red and black with the first 3 lines printed from a woodcut with a large decorative initial, a separate title-page for the Werelt-boeck and 2 part-titles in the Chronica, 18 woodcut decorative initials (plus numerous repeats) from 3 series, and decorations built up from arabesque fleurons. Set in textura types. Slightly later vellum, 10 decorated brass corner and centrepieces with bosses, 2 brass catchplates (straps and clasps lacking), red-sprinkled edges.
| Orders and Information | € 1650 |
Fourth Dutch edition of a controversial historical chronicle from the creation to 1536, along with a description of all lands and peoples of the world, with part 4 (26 pp.) devoted to America. Franck (1499-1542/43) studied at Heidelberg, became a priest and in 1527 a Lutheran minister, but was critical of Catholics, Lutherans, Zwinglians and Anabaptists, and found common ground with heretics such as Michael Servetus. His Chronica displays his sympathy for a wide variety of heretics, and on its publication in 1531 he was expelled from Strassbourg as a result of a complaint by Erasmus. The Weltbuch followed in 1534, giving a description of all lands and peoples of the world and particularly their customs and religious beliefs. A remarkable early example of comparative religious studies, it also came under attack from the established church, and he was accused of Anabaptism. Both books were translated into Dutch in 1558 and proved very popular among Dutch Lutherans and especially Anabaptists, forming a keystone in the thought and writings of Menno Simons and the Mennonites. Frank was "a sharp observer, an intelligent judge, a brilliant popular author, and a courageous historian animated by an unpartisan love of truth" (Mennonite Encyclopedia, p. 365) and his spiritualism and open mind concerning pantheism and ancient heathenism endears him to those who fight for religious tolerance today. The present edition, with about a thousand pages, was an enormous undertaking for the publishers, and the market among the minority religious groups was not large, probably the reason that the costs were divided between Claes Claesz in Amsterdam, Schinckel in Delft and the printer Albrecht Heyndricxz. in The Hague, with a separate issue for each of the three.
With the letterpress bookplate of Carel Steenhauer (1797/98-1845), Protestant minister in Blokker (near Hoorn, North Holland). With numerous small worm holes in the first few pages, mostly in the upper right corner, gradually disappearing through the first half of the book. Otherwise in good condition, with only occasional minor stains or browning. Binding good, with one cornerpiece loose. A seminal work with a wealth of information about religious dissenters that still speaks to our time.
