YDENS, Etienne
Historie van het H. Sacrament van Mirakelen. Berustende tot Bruessel inde Collegiale Kercke van S. Goedele
Brussel, Rutgeert Velpius, 1608
small 8vo, full contemporary soft vellum, title in contemporary manuscript on spine, 2 ff- (24)-282-(12) pp., illustrated title page and 17 intaglio engravings of which 3 full page, pictorial woodcut initials; binding heavily soiled, text block detached from binding, first 2 ff almost loose from text block, light staining to title page, interior and engravings clean, manuscript note on the front and back pastedown as well as on the bottom title page
First Dutch translation of the History of the Holy Sacrament of Miracle. Canon Etienne Ydens of the St. Goedele Church wrote the story in 1605 and it was first published in French by Rutger Velpius. The book tells the story of a partly factual medieval legend about the desecration of hosts for which six Jews were sentenced to death. The story played a role in Jewish-Christian relations until the 1970s and is to be viewed in the historical context of anti-semitism in the middle-ages. In addition to the contents of this book, there were also representations of the story in stained glass windows, paintings and tapestries in the St. Goedele Church that kept people busy and angry.
The entire front pastedown bears a manuscript note: Hen[ric]us Marchant / In het jaer ons Heeren / 1692 / Op Donderdagh den 18 en / Septe[be]r / Isser heel Brabandt door / Een Schroomelijcke / Aerdbevinghe / gheweest near middagh / Ten Twee Ueren Duerende / Ontrent 2 Minuten / Godt Wilt on behoeden. (Henricus Marchant. In the year of the Lord 1692 on Thursday 18th September there was in the whole region of Brabandt a terrible earthquake near midday at two lasting about 2 minutes. God will save us). On the back pastedown there is the following handwritten note: Uijt de / Bibliothéque / Van / Henr[icus] Sulpi[cus] Marchant.
The engravings are by Adriaen Collaert (ca. 1560-1618), son-in-law of the draughtsman, engraver and print publisher Philip Galle. The engravings are printed from the plates used for the first French edition of 1605. Only the last one (of Saint Goedele) is signed by Adriaen Collaert, but they can all be safely attributed to him. At the top of the lower backplate, handwritten mention: Uijt de / Bibliothéque / Van / Henr[icus] Sulpi[cus] Marchant.
