This book contains a collection of speeches and lectures delivered at the University of Wittenberg between November 1565 and March 1571. Wittenberg was the home of Martin Luther (1483–1545), and in the early sixteenth century became the centre of the burgeoning Protestant Reformation. Luther lectured at the University alongside his friends and fellow reformers Philip Melancthon (1497–1560), Johannes Bugenhagen (1585–1558), and Caspar Creuziger (1504–1548). The editor of the Orationum, writing in the preface, fondly remembers this formidable quartet as illa prima et summa lumina Ecclesiae—‘those first and foremost lights of the Church’.

The binding of this volume, almost certainly contemporary, is decorated with portraits of Luther and Melanchthon on each side. Portraits of the reformers remained popular long after their deaths, and are found on German bindings through to the end of the century.

Extent
[12], [unpaginated, c. 500] p.

Binding information
Late sixteenth century alum-tawed pigskin over boards, sewn on three double raised bands with two false bands in between (a common German binding style); likely bound at Wittenberg. Covers blind-tooled with stamped panels of Melancthon (upper cover) and Luther (lower cover) within a frame comprised of foliate rolls and fillets; upper cover tooled with initials ‘S.G.’ and date ‘1571’. Spine in six compartments, tooled with scrolls (faded). Textblock edges stained red.

Selected in 1893 by the Royal Librarian Richard Rivington Holmes as a fine example of bookbinding in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.