[Mauburnus (Johannes)] Rosetum exercitiorum spiritualium et sacrarum meditationum, edited by Johannes Speyser, collation: [*]⁶ a-c⁸ d e⁶ f⁸ g⁶ h-l⁸ m-p^6.8 q-y⁶ z⁸ A-S⁶, double column, full-page woodcut of a chiromantic hand to b6v, initial spaces with guide-letters, final f. blank, narrow section cut from front free endpaper to remove inscription, library ink stamp to lower margin of title and in a few other margins, a few small wormholes in text, mostly at ends, some staining (see in particular Q1&2), marginal water-staining, some spotting or finger-marking, lightly browned, early manuscript fragments used in binding, contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards, lacking metal clasps and corner-pieces, soiled, rubbed and marked, folio (291 x 195mm.), [Basel], [Jacobus Wolff, de Pforzheim], [1404 [i.e. 1504]].

⁂ Rare edition at auction of the principal devotional work of Jan Mombaer (1460-1501). He was an Augustinian friar of Brussels, who was part of the ‘devotio moderna’ movement, calling for religious reform. He was one of the first to insist that Thomas à Kempis was the author of the Imitatio Christi, and not Jean Gerson. The present work was said to have influenced St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. A variant exists with the correct date in colophon.

Provenance: ‘Henricus Koboltus Juris Canonici Doctor’ (contemporary ink inscription to front pastedown and his signature to lower margin of title); ‘ex libris M. Georgii ?Stanglmayr…’ (contemporary ink inscription to head of title); St. Joseph’s, Blackrock (20^th century ink stamps).

Literature: VD 16 M 1623.