The Latin quotation on the title page is from Psalm 119:46: "I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed."

The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Protestant Reformation. The Augsburg Confession was written in both German and Latin and was presented by a number of German rulers and free-cities at the Diet of Augsburg on 25 June 1530.

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had called on the Princes and Free Territories in Germany to explain their religious convictions in an attempt to restore religious and political unity in the Holy Roman Empire and rally support against the Turkish invasion. It is the fourth document contained in the Lutheran Book of Concord. [wikipedia]

Small quarto (7.125 x 5.5 in.; 182 x 140 mm). [169] leaves. Signatures: A-E4 F6 G² h4 I-N4 O² P-2V4(-2V4, blank). Bound without blank leaf 2V4; 2A2 signed "A2." Printer and date of publication from colophon on 2V3 recto. Apologia Confessionis has separate title page (G1 recto), with "Emenda" beneath the title. Decorative and historiated woodcut initials. Later quarter calf with black paper-covered boards; all edges trimmed and stained blackish-blue; plain endpapers, double fly leaves at front, single at the rear. Front board detached; calf mostly gone; edges worn; corners softened; scuffing to boards; loose electrical tape affixed to bottom of rear board, curling over spine. Front free endpaper and first flyleaf completely detached. Repairs to inner hinges; label pulled up from front pastedown. Split between gatherings V and Z, starting between leaves 2T3 and 2T4, 2V2 and 2V3. Minor thumbsoiling scattered throughout text; some toning; occasional foxing. Text very good in just good binding. Housed in custom black cloth clamshell with red spine label stamped in gilt.

[Augsburg Confession]. Confessio fidei exhibita invictiss. Imp. Carolo V. Caesari Aug. in Comiciis Augustae, Anno M. D. XXX. Addita est Apologia Confessionis [by Philipp Melancthon]. Beide, Deudsch und Latinisch. Wittenberg: [Impressum per Georgium Rhau, 1531]. First edition of the Augsburg Confession, containing the Latin texts of the Confessio and Melanchton's Apologia. Although the title-page states that it contains both the Latin and German texts, this first edition contains Latin text only (the German translation by Justus Jonas was added slightly later).

Catalog entry tipped to front pastedown from "J. J. Lentnersche Hofbuchhandlung (E. Stahl), München," "Lager-Katalog Nr. 8." Annotations throughout the text in at least two, possibly as many as four different hands, including a couple of manicules. Several early ink ownership inscriptions on the title-page, the earliest that of "Theodorus Backhusius Possessor," who was pastor at Oldenberg (d. 1625); followed by "Vogt 1735," "JFG Olbers 1766" and "H. Meere." Recto of front free endpaper bears ink manuscript notes that seem to be from nineteenth-century New Testament commentator H. A. W. Meyer [Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer (1800-1873)], dated 1868; verso with additional notes, signed by his son "Professor Dr. [Gustav] Meyer," dated "7 Januar 1883." Bookseller's ticket of Schaeffer & Koradi, Philadelphia. Neuser, Bibliographie, 8. See VD16 C 4734 and C 4735. Sold together with a copy of Neuser's Bibliographie der Confessio Augustana und Apologie, 1530-1580. Nieuwkoop: De Graaf Publishers, 1987.

BK consignment; shelved case 3