Tritheim, De triplici regione claustralium, Mainz, 1498, contemporary half calf

Johann Tritheim

De triplici regione claustralium et spirituali exercitio monachorum. Compendium quotidiani spiritualis exercitii. Mainz: Peter von Friedberg, 6 August 1498

4to (214 x 141mm.), 98 leaves, A–C⁸ D-E⁶ F–M⁸ N⁶, 34-36 lines, gothic type, initials in red, black or blue, red initial strokes and underlining, a few highlighted in silver, some early annotations, contemporary half blind-stamped calf over wooden boards, single clasp, index tabs, later lettering-pieces, old calf repairs to ends of spine, old flyleaf detached, new endpapers

FIRST EDITION. The Benedictine monk Tritheim (1462-1516) was abbot of Sponheim then Würzburg; he was concerned with imposing stricter discipline on the monastery of Sponheim, and this work is a manual for the monks of the abbey. Many of Tritheim's monastic works were printed by Peter von Friedberg in nearby Mainz.

LITERATURE:

ISTC it00456000; GW M47570 variant 3

PROVENANCE:

Benedictine monastery of St Godehard, Hildesheim, for Brother Wilhelm, early inscriptions on title-page and flyleaf; Ampleforth Abbey library, bookplate and ink stamp