Opera quae extant omnia.

PICCOLOMINI, Aeneas Sylvius, Pope Pius II (1405-64).

Published by Basel: Henrich Petri, [Colophon:1571].

About this Item

Folio (12 3/8 x 8 inches). Woodcut printer's device on title-page, 18 woodcut maps from Muenster's "Cosmographia", woodcut initials (contemporary ownership inscription excised from title-page, one or two repaired marginal tears occasionally crossing the text). Contemporary limp vellum decorated in blind, yapp fore-edges (dust-soiled). Provenance: Some contemporary marginal annotations; ownership inscription and notes of Dr. David Laird, M.D. on the front paste-down. Pope Pius II (1458-1464) travelled widely and was a prolific writer; two incomplete editions of his work were published by Henrich Petri in 1551 and this edition in 1571 which includes accounts of his many travels and in particular his secret mission to Scotland with Cardinal Albergati "The voyage was very tempestuous and Piccolomini vowed to walk, if spared, barefoot from the port of arrival to the nearest shrine of Our Lady. He landed at Dunbar and, from the pilgrimage of ten miles through ice and snow to the sanctuary of Whitekirk, he contracted the gout from which he suffered for the rest of his life" (Catholic Encyclopedia).Two of his most important works were either entirely or partly written during his period as Pope: "his geographical and ethnographical description of Asia and Europe; and his "Memoirs", which are the only autobiography left us by a pope. They are entitled "Pii II Commentarii rerum memorabilium, quae temporibus suis contigerunt". Earlier in his life he had written, besides "Eurialus and Lucretia" and the recently discovered comedy "Chrysis", the followinghistorical works: "Libellus dialogorum de generalis concilii auctoritate et gestis Basileensium"; "Commentarius de rebus Basileae gestis"; "Historia rerum Frederici III imperatoris"; "Historia Bohemica" (Catholic Encyclopedia). Adams P1336. Seller Inventory # 002105

Bibliographic Details

Title: Opera quae extant omnia.

Publisher: Basel: Henrich Petri, [Colophon:1571].