Guillermus Alvernus's De fide et legibus

Guillermus Alvernus's De fide et legibus
Günther Zainer, 1475-76
GUILLERMUS ALVERNUS, Episcopus Parisiensis (1180-1249). De fide et legibus. [Augsburg: Günther Zainer, 1475-76.]

First edition of one of the portions of William of Auvergne’s seven-part Magisterium, in a contemporary binding. Written over the course of his life, William's monumental work was inspired particularly by the Islamic philosopher Avicenna, many of whose texts were newly available in Latin translation. The complete series, entitled Magisterium divinale et sapientiale, covers a vast range of topics. The present section addresses moral philosophy. Polain dates this edition to about 1469; it is listed in Zainer's advertisement of 1476. H 8317*; BMC II 323; BSB-Ink G-471; GW 11863; Bod-inc G-297; Goff G-711; ISTC ig00711000.

Chancery folio (302 x 203mm). 140 leaves. Red lombard initials, capital strokes, and paragraph marks (worming in text, worse at ends, faint marginal dampstaining, some initials faded). Contemporary oak boards, backed with blindtooled pink deerskin, brass clasp, title in ink on front board (wormed, lower corner of front board chipped, hinges repaired). Provenance: Bernardus Schrecksmel de Peuerbach (contemporary verse inscription on first blank) – erased stamp on first leaf – acquired from Parke-Bernet Galleries, 12 March 1955.