LEO I, POPE

Opera, Quae Quidem Haberi Potuerunt, Omnia, Magno Labore ad...

      Leo I, Pope [d. 461]. Surius, Laurentus [1522-1578], Editor. Opera, Quae Quidem Haberi Potuerunt, Omnia, Magno Labore ad Manuscriptorum Codicum Fidem a Permultis, Ijsq; Foedis Mendis nunc Denuo Repurgata, per F. Laurentium Surium Carthusianum: Cuius Etiam Studio Iam Recens Accesserunt Quinq; Eusdem Leonis Epistolae, Hactenus Praelo non Cimmissae. His Adiunximus D. Leonis IX. Aeque. Cum Indice Novo ac Copioso. Cologne: Apud Ioannem Birckmannum, 1568. [x], 173 [i.e. 169], [1] fols. Folio (8" x 12"). Contemporary limp vellum, rebacked in later vellum with hand-lettered title, ties lacking. Moderate soiling, light wear to extremities, a few small chips to spine, tiny hole to front cover, front hinge cracked but secure. Attractive large printer device to title page and verso of final leaf, handsome arms of Leo I to verso of title page, decorated initials. Light browning and faint dampspotting to most of text, internally clean. Ex-library. Early hand-lettered shelf label to spine, institution name in faint early hand to title page. $2,000. * This edition of the collected legal and theological writings of Pope Leo I was first published in 1561. Known as "the Great," Leo reigned from CE 440-461 and guided the development of the Church during the final decades of the Western Roman Empire. In power during its most turbulent period, he preserved the church through a vigorous reform of church discipline and persecution of heretics. The collation of this copy is identical with others dated 1569. The listing in VD16 even gives the date of this imprint as "1568/1569," which suggests that it was issued twice with different dates. No copies of the 1568 imprint located, KVK locates 1 copy dated 1568/69. See Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, 1501-1600 L447 (listing 1569 imprint). Verzeichnis der im Deutschen Sprachbereich Erschienenen Drucke des 16. Jahrhunderts (VD 16) ZV17915.