9. ON THE BIBLE

MARCHESINUS, Johannes (13th century). Mammotrectus super Bibliam. Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 10 November 1470.

This is the first of twenty-three editions of this work printed during the fifteenth century. Compiled by a thirteenth-century Franciscan at Reggio, near Modena, the Mammotrectus is a manual for the lower clergy with short entries explaining difficult terms and concepts encountered in the Bible. The homely metaphor of the title refers to the “maternal milk,” or nourishment, offered by this text. Its early popularity did not survive the Reformation; already in May of 1515, Erasmus of Rotterdam had criticized those priests who still depended upon the Mammotrectus.

Bridwell Library’s copy, purchased in 1964, was the first book printed by Schoeffer to enter its collection. It preserves a contemporary Austrian blind-tooled deerskin binding with two leather straps and brass clasps that hook onto pegs set into the upper cover.

Full page view

Introduction 7. Aquinas 1467 8. Catholicon

10. Aquinas 1471 11. Augustine 1473 12. Turrecremata 1474

13. Bernard of Clairvaux 1475 14. Paulus de Sancta Maria 1478