CARION, JOHANNES.:

CHRONICORUM LIBELLUS,

      Francoforti, 1543. maximas quasque res gestas, ab initio mundi, apto ordine complectens: ita ut annorum ratio, ac praecipuae vicissitudines, quae in regna, in religionem, & in alias res magnas incidunt, quam rectissime cognosci ac observari queant. Autore Ioan. Car. anno XLIII. Imprint and date from colophon, Latin text, Francoforti, ex officina Petri Brubachii, 1543. 12mo, 130 x 90 mm, 5 x 3½ inches, publisher's Janus device on title page and on colophon leaf, a few woodcut headpieces and initials, leaves (16), 250 (numbered on rectos only), (2) - colophon and a blank, pagination a little erratic in places, but catchwords and register correct, collated and guaranteed complete, bound in antique quarter leather over blue paper boards, raised bands, gilt decoration in compartments, gilt lettered morocco label, all edges red. Binding worn, a few scrapes to surface paper on covers, board edges and corners showing cardboard, upper hinge cracked slightly at head and tail with slight chipping to leather, head of spine slightly worn, spine rubbed, signature of James Boswell's nephew (Samuel Johnson's biographer) on front pastedown, dated 1811, small stamp of Boswell family arms with motto Vraye Foi at foot of colophon page, brief note about the book on front endpaper, 2 different signatures on title page which is a little dusty, intermittent dampstaining throughout mostly to margins, mostly pale, occasionally light brown, no loss of legibility anywhere, 1 underlining, 2 pointing hands in the margin. Binding tight and firm. A good copy. Carion's Chronica, a universal history from the Creation to 1532 written from a Lutheran perspective, was written originally in German and published in Wittemberg in 1532. It was translated into Latin by Hermannn Bonnus and this was first published in Halle in 1537. Johann Carion (1499-1537/8) was born in Bietigheim in Germany as Johannes Negelin, he enrolled at the University of Tubingen in 1514 and later also studied medicine. At Tubingen he met Philip Melanchton who became a life-long friend and who later enlarged and revised Carion's Chronica (Chronicon Carionis1558-1566). In 1519 he went to the court of the Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg where he worked as court mathematician and astrologer. Later he was in contact with Luther and Georg Sabinus. He published a few scientific and astrological works but the Chronica made him famous being the first German history. In it he followed the doctrine of the 4 monarchies then current and derived from Daniel 2 and 7. The work may have indirectly influenced Shakespeare as it was a source for the Chronicles of Holinshed who probably used an English translation by Walter Lynne, "The thre bokes of Cronicles whyche Iohn Carion...gathered wyth great diligence of the beste authours". Images sent on request.