Johannes Trithemius: Liber de scriptoribus ecclesiasticis
[With the author's dedication to Johann von Dalberg, Bishop of Worms, Sponheim from 26.4.1492, and a letter to Albert Morderer, Sponheim from 04.1492. With a letter to Johann Amerbach by Johannes de Lapide, dated Basel 28.8.1494, and a poem on the work by Sebastian Brant]. Basileae: Amerbach 1494 . - [6], 140, [1] Bl.
Hain 15613, BSB-Ink T-459
Together with the Cathalogus illustrium virorum Germaniam suis ingenijs et lucubrationibus omnifariam exornantium ([Mainz]: [Friedberg] [ca. 1495] . - 88 p., Hain 15615*, BSB-Ink T-443) by the same author, this publication offers an important bio-bibliographic conspectus of the Latin authors of the Middle Ages far surpassing all earlier works of this sort. The tradition of Christian author catalogues goes back to Saint Jerome and Gennadius with an important medieval continuation by Sigebert of Gembloux. For his work, Trithemius drew from earlier sources, supplementing them with his own studies. His two anthologies were used by later authors such as the Magdeburger Centurien. Trithemius extensively used the library of the Benedictine Abbey of Sponheim near Kreuznach for his reseach, where he was abbot. At the time he left the monastery in 1506, the library had some 2000 volumes. It was highly praised by Johannes Oecolampadius in 1523. By the beginning of the 17th century, however, the editor of the first edition of Trithemius' works, Marquard Freher, found the library largely emptied.