Agenda Ecclesiastica, Secvndvm Vsvm Ecclesiæ VVyrzeburgensis.
Würzburg, H. Baumann 1564.
Small folio (255 x 182 mm.). [6], 248, [3], [1 blank] leaves.
CONTEMPORARY ?WÜRZBURG BINDING OF BLIND-DECORATED PIGSKIN over beveled wooden boards ?by Jakob Preisger (worn, soiled, leather at the base of both boards defective, an original leather flaw repaired before decoration), outer frame of a palmette roll (EBDB r001035 — Preisger), inner frame of a roll of male heads (not in EBDB), front central crucifixion panel stamp captioned below and with a lettered scroll (EBDB p003638 — Preisger), rear lettered central panel stamp of Faith, Hope, God the Father, cross, chalice and book (not in EBDB), blue edges, chased brass catches and clasps.
This handsome service book guides parish priests through exorcism, the sacraments, excommunication, interdiction, fasting, the blessing of the bedridden, of soldiers and their swords…. LAY RESPONSES ARE REGULARLY GIVEN IN THE VERNACULAR, as are the liturgies for the most common rites.
The volume closes with a twenty-page “instruction for the simpler priest” (tr.), concisely explaining the what, why and how of his sacramental duties. The basic teachings of the church in German conclude the volume.
Bound after the dedication is an additional bifolium of emendations to the rubrics found in only ?two other examples (Augsburg, Bamberg).
This commission bankrupted its printer, Hans Baumann, as the Prince-Elector of Würzburg paid only half of the agreed sum for his copies (the present issue). Claiming the text was suitable for use in all dioceses, Baumann printed examples on his own account: these sold poorly. In 1571, his heirs unsuccessfully petitioned the Prince-Elector for the money owed and closed the press the next year.
I have located two examples of this Agenda in the U.S., one of each issue. In very good condition (small thin stain to the extreme upper and lower margin of some leaves), recent signature of Anton Heußtein.
¶Ruland, “Zur Druckgeschichte der vom Fürstbischofe Friedrich zu Würzburg herausgegebenen Agenda Ecclesiastica” in Serapeum 25 (1864) 161-70; VD 16 A 772 (without the emendation leaves); Robert de Bourbon, Katalog der liturgischen Drucke…in der Herzogl. Parma’schen Bibliothek ed. Bohatta 481 (lacking three text and the two emendations leaves).
Price: $9,800.00