Our Notes & References

The Macclesfield copy, in an attractive binding with an unusual spine, of the first edition of an extensive, early history of both the Calvinist ecclesia major and the Arian ecclesia minor of the Polish Brethren in Central and Eastern Europe up to the 17th century, namely: Poland, Bohemia, Lithuania, Russia, Prussia and Moravia.

Written by the Polish man of letters Andrzej Węgierski (1600-1649), a Calvinist himself, who was rector of the school at Lissa in nowadays Croatia, between 1629 and 1633, before taking the cloth. He had previously studied at several Dutch Universities, including Leyden and Groningen. Next to his activities as a historian he was also a preacher, poet and translator.

The Systema historico-chronologicum includes a preface by the Dutch theologian Gisbertus Voetius (1589-1676), a fellow Calvinist.

Scarce: although some copies can be found in public institutions, we could trace only one example at auction in recent decades, back in 2008.

Provenance

Earls of Macclesfield, Shirburn Castle (1860 North Library armorial bookplate with shelfmark to upper pastedown and blindstamp crest to first leaves; not traced in the Sotheby’s Macclesfield sales).

Bibliography

Cat. Russica R-390.