COUNCIL OF GANGRA; MESHOVIUS, Arnoldus Synodus Gangrensis, euangelicae promulgationis anno circiter trecentesimo congragata…Explicata commentariolis Ioannis Quintini; Historiae Anabaptisticae libri septem. Paris; Cologne Andream Wechelum; Gerhardum Greuenbruch 1617
4to. 2 works in one vol. 120 + 114ff. First work with woodcut device on title- and last pages, second work with woodcut device on title-page and with the final errata leaf, same work somewhat browned, in late seventeenth century English sprinkled calf BY N. ELLISON WITH HIS SIGNATURE ON AN ENDPAPER and price ‘Rel. 1s-6d, 1691’, rebacked with most of original spine preserved.
First edition of the Greek and Latin canons of the Council of Gangra, a town in Paphlagonia, which took place between 325 and 381, although one can probably date it more precisely to between 362 and 370. Its main purpose was to assess and condemn the teachings of Eustathius, Bishop of Sebaste and to reaffirm the following four main points: marriage may not be condemned, marriage may not be renounced out of contempt for it, women should not wear men’s clothes and they should not cut off their hair. A German edition appeared in 1537 with a preface by Luther. The second work seems to be the only edition of Meshovius’ history of the anabaptists, from their beginnings in 1521 to the tumultuous events in Munster between 1532 and 1535 after which the sect died out or went underground. Ellic Howe, A list of London Bookbinders, 1950 informs us that Ellison was a stationer and bookbinder in Pall Mall. At the turn of the century he was supplying James Brydges, later Duke of Chandos, with stationery and bindings.i. Adams G211; not in BMC; RLIN locates only the copy at Boalt Hall.
£400
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