Martyrs

1612 · ST20615 — Liège: Christian Ouwerx 1612. FIRST AND APPARENTLY ONLY EDITION. 160 x 98 mm. 6 1/4 x 4". 62 leaves four leaves of H2 and H3 mis-bound between C2 and C3. <br/> Contemporary vellum tooled in blind covers with plain rule frame small oblique fleurons at corners of inner frame central panel with larger fleuron centerpiece slightly raised bands early ink shelf location at head of spine holes for two fore-edge ties now lacking. Engraved title page with illustration in the style of a Tree of Jesse with St. Augustine as its source the martyrs on the branches offering their crowns to the Virgin and Child sitting in glory at the top and 27 PLATES DEPICTING MARTYRS many with their means of execution all by Collaert. Title page and 1r with 17th century ink ownership inscription of the Congregation of Notre Dame à Treves; title page with ink signature of "Krintinger" at foot; G8v with ink signature of Jean Chapeaville Vicaire de Liege whose printed approval for the publication of this work appears on H2r. Each life of a martyr with vellum tab at head of page near the gutter. De Theux "Bibliographie Liegeoise" 1867 p. 24; USTC 1506992. Vellum a little grubby and with a couple of small ink stains corners slightly bumped tiny chips gone at spine ends a couple of quires a bit proud but the binding solid and retaining much of its original antique appeal. Occasional minor soiling internally isolated spots of foxing or trivial paper flaws but the text and plates otherwise very appealing the impressions of the engravings being especially rich.<br/> <br/> Written by a Walloon theologian and illustrated by an Antwerp master printer this is a very rare treatise on martyrs of the Augustinian order that was once in the library of an order of teaching nuns. These 27 hagiographies of Augustinian hermits who died for the faith were written by theologian Georges Maigret 1573-1633 prior of the Augustinian monastery in Liège. He begins with St. Evode martyred in Africa in 408 and continues up to 1610 when Blessed Illephonse and Raphael de la Madre de Dios were killed while on missions in the Philippines and Sunda Islands respectively. Other near-contemporary martyrs died closer to home like Brother Gerard Ridder who was murdered by the Huguenots in the Low Countries in 1587. A full-length portrait by Adriaen Collaert illustrates the entry for each martyr with detailed background scenery giving a sense of where these Augustinians were serving at the time of their demise. Some martyrs are shown in the midst of their execution: Boniface hangs on an X-shaped cross Philippe Aymil stands pierced through with arrows Augustin du Rosaire kneels calmly before the swordsman who will behead him. The death of others is represented allegorically as in the case of Jean Sahagoune who was poisoned: he is depicted standing atop a recumbent lion while a richly dressed woman offers him a chalice containing a snake. Collaert ca. 1560-1618 came from a family of prominent Flemish engravers in Antwerp. After training with his father Hans he became a master of the artists' Guild of St. Luke in 1580. Our volume was once owned by the Congregation of Notre Dame in Trier an order of Augustinian Canonesses dedicated to educating the daughters of the poor. The order was founded in northeastern France in 1597 and soon spread to surrounding areas. Of special interest the printing of our volume was authorized by the signature of Jean Chapeauville vicar general of Liege and Inquisitor of the Faith. As a reformer historian and theologian Chapeauville 1551-1617 was a person of considerable prominence in the church of his time. To qualify for personal manuscript authorization like this the work must have had quite a small print run and copies would have additionally been destroyed through devout use. In any case the book is almost never seen for sale today. Christian Ouwerx unknown