Curiosities of the Royal Library at Dresden

from previous page: ...a man of many names, and by the testimony of Saint Bernard also most illustrious, D. Petrus, Abbot of Cluny, arranged to be translated from the Arabic language into Latin by learned men, for the defense of the Christian faith and the holy mother Church. Attached to these are the confutations of many and indeed most approved authors, Arabs, Greeks, and Latins, together with the most learned Philip Melanchthon's premonition. By which, as if by a well-equipped battle line of defenders of the Catholic faith, the perverse dogmas and the entire Machumetic superstition are destroyed. Also added are several booklets worthy of reading concerning the origin and history of the Turks or Saracens (who have for several centuries now acted not so much as followers of the Machumetic insanity, but as avengers and defenders, and the most bitter enemies of the Christian name) from 900 years ago to our times. All these were brought into one volume by the work and study of Theodorus Bibliander, minister of the Church of Zurich, who, having also collated Latin and Arabic exemplars, corrected the text of the Alcoran, and added annotations to the margins, by which the absurdity, contradictions, origins of errors, and depravations of divine scripture of the Machumetic doctrine are indicated. Which indeed he published into the light for the glory of the Lord JESUS Christ, and the manifold utility of the Church, against Satan, prince of darkness, and his messenger the Anti-Christ: who must be manifested and finished by the spirit of the mouth of Christ our Savior. Year of Human Salvation 1550. Month of March fol. T. I. pp. 227. T. II. columns 358. T. III. pp. 235.

Two different editions of this rare book have appeared into the light shortly after one another. The first, printed in Basel in 1543 in folio, is held much more highly and as rarer than this our second edition, because of the Greek text of some pieces, which has been omitted in this reprint. See Reimmann in Catalogo Biblioth. Theol. p. 937. Jo. Fabricium in Historia Bibliothecæ Fabricianæ P. II. p. 323. Jo. Vogt in Catal. Libb. rarr. Edit. recent. p. 124.

In the first volume are contained: Philippi Melanchthonis ad Alcorani lectionem Præmonitio Philip Melanchthon's premonition on the reading of the Alcoran. This is attributed to Luther in the first edition. Bibliandri Apologia pro Editione Latina Alcorani Bibliander's apology for the Latin edition of the Alcoran. Petri Abbatis Cluniacensis Epistola de translatione Alcorani Abbot Peter of Cluny's epistle on the translation of the Alcoran. Ejusdem Of the same