Opera . in vetustißimo codice conscripta, nuper apud Germanos inventa . nunc denuo impressa. Item opera Maxentii Johannis, pulcra vetustatis monumenta, in eodem codice reperta.

8vo. 4 lvs., (1) p., 414 pp., (1) p. (blank); 3 lvs., 148 pp. With 2 woodcut borders by Anton Woensam. Very well preserved and richly blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (slightly rubbed, spine overpainted with grey oil-based paint), 2 clasps. Second edition. The texts of the two ecclesiastical authors of the 5th/6th century are based on Pirckheimer's manuscript finds in Trithemius' unpublished works and they were edited by Pirckheimer and J.Cochläus: In the first edition of 1520 as in the second one in question Pirckheimer signs as editor of the Fulgentius works, Cochläus as editor of Maxentius' books. Above all Fulgentius (467-probably 532 AD) belongs to the important theologians of the 5th/6th century; he was descended from Carthaginian nobility and from 507 onwards bishop in Ruspe / Tunesia ("one of the most eminent authors of the Latin church around 525" [Pauly 8, 214]).His writings against Arian and Pelagian opponents of Augustine were so efficient, that Petrus Lombardus, in his commentary of maxims, quotes Fulgentius' main work "De fide Petrum" under Augustine's name. Fulgentius' books first showed their effectiveness above all in Spain (Isidor of Sevi1le mentions him in "De viris i1lustribus" ), but later also in Italy and Middle Europe. Whenever questions about predestination flared up, the writings of the North African bishop became the centre of discussion ( e.g. with Hinkmar of Reims, with the Jansenists etc.). The fine and well preserved binding bears on the front cover a plate with the Electorate of Saxony coat of arms, surrounded by a roll-stamp of heads, warriors and emperors (with helmet or laurel wreath), separated from each other by a vase and foliage. The rear cover shows the same roll, this time surrounding a plate with the Brandenburg coat of arms. Both plates are initialled "GG". Haebler (1,142/3) attributes these initials to a bookbinder's workshop active at about 1560-1580, Rabenau (No.32) places them in the environment of Krause and in the Brandenburg region. Rabenau displayed and described the roll-stamp and mentioned the Brandenburg plate, Haebler mentioned the Saxony Electorate plate. 1 joint somewhat broken, 1st title with some soiling and on lower margin with a small loss of paper (restored, not affecting text / woodcut), the last lvs. slightly water-marked, a very light browning throughout, otherwise well preserved. VD 16, F 3356; BMSTC (German Books) 327; Adams F 1137.…