Formicarius Ioannis Nyder, theologi profundissimi : pulcherrimus dialogus ad vitam Christianam exemplo conditionum formice incitatiuus historijsq[ue] Germanie refertissimus : mentionem passim faciens de principib[us], episcopis, prelatis sacerdotib[us], monachis, monialib[us], Beguinis & Beghardis, rebuspublicis, liuib[us], loniugatis, viduis, virginibus, maleficis, necromanticis, incubis & succubis, mania, ac ceteris lectu dulcib[us] & vtilib[us].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nider, Johannes, approximately 1380-1438.

Contributor:

Wimpheling, Jakob, 1450-1528.

Knobloch, Johann, -1528, publisher.

Schott, Johann, 1477-1548, printer.

Henry Charles Lea Library (University of Pennsylvania)

Standardized Title:

Formicarius

Language:

Latin

Subjects (All):

Spiritual life--Early works to 1800.

Spiritual life.

Witchcraft--Early works to 1800.

Witchcraft.

Superstition--Early works to 1800.

Superstition.

Theology--Early works to 1800.

Theology.

Occultism--Early works to 1800.

Occultism.

Beguines.

Beghards.

Penn Provenance:

Lea, Henry Charles, 1825-1909 (autograph, 1871) (bookplate)

Physical Description:

4 unnumbered leaves, xci leaves, 3 unnumbered leaves ; 21 cm (4to)

Fingerprint:

sea. i-ci a-Ir bo*V (3) 1517 (A)

Place of Publication:

[Argentinae] : Sumptibus p[ro]uidor[um] Io. Knoblouchi & Pauli Götz, Ioa[n]nes Schott[us] prelo suo Argentine restituit, 1517.

Notes:

"Edited by ... Jacob Wimpfeling (1450-1528). As Wimpfeling explains in the dedicatory letter, Johannes Nider drew his inspiration for this work, which surveys the 'ant-hill' (Formicarius) of Christian society in his time, from the image of the purposeful ant in Proverbs 6:6. Accordingly, Nider treats the different status of Christian life (e.g. princes, prelates, priests, monks, enclosed nuns, etc.), and the contemporary perversions of religion (e.g. necromancy, witchcraft). ... Of special interest is his treatment of the Beguines and Beghards, or laywomen and laymen who formed religious communities but did not live under religious vows." Cf. Familia Praedicatoria in the University of Notre Dame Library.

"Recueil d'exempla destiné aux prédicateurs. L'oeuvre est surtout celle d'un moraliste ..."--Catholicisme.

Imprint date from t.p.; imprint place and names from colophon.

Signatures: pi⁴ a-d⁸ e-g⁴ h-i⁸ k-m⁴ n⁸ o⁶ p⁸.

The second leaf is signed "2"; the last leaf is blank.

Title in red and black.

Woodcut initials.

Guide letters.

Printed in double columns.

Not listed in Oxford Inter-Collegiate Catalogue or Adams.

Local Notes:

Penn Libraries copy imperfect: gathering f wanting; gathering m bound out of order before gathering l; leaf i1 torn at inner margin; title leaf and leaf e4 mended at bottom inner corner; leaves i2, i7 and i8 torn and mended across bottom of page with some damage to text; leaves e2 and 3 mended at bottom margin.

Penn Libraries copy: woodcut initials on leaves pi2 and a1 hand-colored; ms. initials in red, blue or green, a few with marginal penwork extensions; capital strokes and paragraph marks colored in red or blue; some paragraph marks supplied in ms. in red or blue; title leaf has underlines in red or green and paragraph marks in green; slip with ms. initial in red pasted to leaf i8.

Penn Libraries copy has blue leaf with Henry Charles Lea's autograph inserted at beginning of volume; Henry Charles Lea's bookplate on front pastedown; some ms. marginal notes and maniculae in ink or pencil; a few ms. notes in pencil on title leaf; ms. list of abbreviations in pencil on leaf i8v.

Cited in:

BM STC German, 1455-1600, p. 653

Lawn, Brian. Catalogus Bibliotheca Lawnianae, p. 118

Michael D. Bailey. Battling Demons: Witchcraft, Heresy, and Reform in the Late Middle Ages. (Magic in History.) University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press. 2003

Kaeppeli, no. 2537

Ritter, 3

Benzing and Muller, Bibliographie strasbourgeoise, 2:77, no. 50

Panzer, VI, 84, 481

OCLC:

62299069