Original incunabula leaf from the Bible in Latin (Biblia Latina) with commentary by Nicolas de Lyra and printed by J. Froben and J. Petri in Basel, December 1, 1498. Reference: Goff #B-609; Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke #4284 ; Darlow and Moule #6085 (note); Hain #3172. Printed in black ink with initials heightened with red. (290 x 203 mm – 11 ½ x 8’’)
This early leaf consists of text printed in gothic letters. Line two begins I Corinthians 7:2-10: “Propter…” (But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also in like manner to the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one another, except, perhaps, by consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency…).
The central text is surrounded by Nicolaus de Lyra’s famous commentary. “This work, which was used by Luther, and influenced some of his writings” was first published with the biblical text in 1481.
Presented in an archival 16 x 12'' mat
