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PAULUS DE SANCTA MARIA [PAULUS BURGENSIS] (c.1351-1435). Scrutinium scripturarum. Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 7 January 1478.
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PAULUS DE SANCTA MARIA [PAULUS BURGENSIS] (c.1351-1435). Scrutinium scripturarum. Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 7 January 1478.
An incunable edition of an infamous anti-Semitic text by a converso bishop. Paul of Burgos began his career as a rabbi and Talmudic scholar, using his knowledge of Latin and the early church fathers to advocate for Judaism. In 1391, however, he—along with his sons, although not his wife—converted to Christianity, supposedly having been convinced of its truth in the course of his researches but likely in response to the pogroms which occurred in Spain that year. Paul went to Paris to study theology, where he became part of the circle of the future Pope Benedict XIII. He participated in the persecution of his former co-religionists, publishing this dialogic work at the age of 82 with examples from rabbinical literature to urge the conversion of the Jews. This edition was based on that of Johann Mentelin, which was itself set from a manuscript from the Benedictine Abbey of Plankstetten (now in the Bavarian State Library). BSB-Ink P-48; Goff P-205; GW M29976; HC 10766.
Folio (270 x 193mm). 217 leaves (of 218, without final blank). Unsigned, without catchwords; early manuscript quiring, incipit and colophon with device printed in red and black. Large and small red initials, rubricated (repairs to blank corners of first and last few leaves, touching about 5 letters; top margin of title strengthened, the blank area of the colophon leaf replaced; some marginal dampstaining and soiling, light worming). 18th-century calf, spine gilt (joints repaired). Provenance: Jean Patrice August Madden (1808-1889, bibliographer; bookplate, his sale, Labitte, E. Paul et cie, lot 1201).
An incunable edition of an infamous anti-Semitic text by a converso bishop. Paul of Burgos began his career as a rabbi and Talmudic scholar, using his knowledge of Latin and the early church fathers to advocate for Judaism. In 1391, however, he—along with his sons, although not his wife—converted to Christianity, supposedly having been convinced of its truth in the course of his researches but likely in response to the pogroms which occurred in Spain that year. Paul went to Paris to study theology, where he became part of the circle of the future Pope Benedict XIII. He participated in the persecution of his former co-religionists, publishing this dialogic work at the age of 82 with examples from rabbinical literature to urge the conversion of the Jews. This edition was based on that of Johann Mentelin, which was itself set from a manuscript from the Benedictine Abbey of Plankstetten (now in the Bavarian State Library). BSB-Ink P-48; Goff P-205; GW M29976; HC 10766.
Folio (270 x 193mm). 217 leaves (of 218, without final blank). Unsigned, without catchwords; early manuscript quiring, incipit and colophon with device printed in red and black. Large and small red initials, rubricated (repairs to blank corners of first and last few leaves, touching about 5 letters; top margin of title strengthened, the blank area of the colophon leaf replaced; some marginal dampstaining and soiling, light worming). 18th-century calf, spine gilt (joints repaired). Provenance: Jean Patrice August Madden (1808-1889, bibliographer; bookplate, his sale, Labitte, E. Paul et cie, lot 1201).