A SIMPLE, AND RELIGIOUS CONSULTATION .... BY WHAT MEANES A CHRISTIAN REFORMATION, AND FOUNDED IN GODS WORDE, OF DOCTRINE, ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEUINE SACRAMENTES, OF CEREMONIES, AND THE HOLE CURE OF SOULES, AND OTHER ECCLESIASTICAL MINISTERIES MAY BE BEGON AMONG MEN COMMITTED TO OUR PASTORALL CHARGE, VNTIL THE LORDE GRAUNT A BETTER TO BE APPOYNTED EITHER BY A FREE, AND CHRISTIAN COU[N]SAYLE, GENERAL, OR NATIONAL, OR ELLES BY THE STATES OF THE EMPIRE OF THE NATIO[N] OF GERMANIE, GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE HOLYE GOST by Hermann V, [von Wied], Archbishop of Cologne - 1547

[London]: Imprinted in the yere of our Lord [by John Daye], 1547. [308] leaves; a-y8 2A-2Q8 2R4. Small octavo (140 x 95 mm). Full black morocco, raised bands, a.e.g., by Bedford. Printed in black letter. Woodcut of the Last Supper on A8r. Minor soiling early and late, washed (likely when bound), two small patches of early repair to verso of title, a few instances of marginalia or emphasis marks remain after having been "Bedfordized" (with shadows of more extensive annotations scattered in some margins), early careful restoration to the blank foremargins of g2-3, some occasional foxing or marginal smudges, ink acquisition note and cathedral blindstamp on binder's blank, joints slightly rubbed, old bookseller's description formerly tipped to front pastedown, otherwise a very good copy, with the bookplate of Sir J.A. Brooke. First edition in English (translator not identified) of this compilation from the Archbishop's writings assembled by Philipp Melanchthon and Martin Bucer, first published in German in 1543. A second edition was published in 1548, and some copies of this edition feature a woodcut of St. John the Evangelist in place of the woodcut of the Last Supper. The text is known to have exerted some influence upon Archbishop Cranmer and his associates in their compilation of the first English Book of Common Prayer. Both this edition and the second edition are uncommon in commerce. One copy of the first is recorded in ABPC in the last 35 years (1993), and two copies of the second edition. The ESTC locates fifteen copies, of which seven (including this copy) are in North America. The ink note on the endsheet traces the provenance of this copy to the Gardner sale (1854). A good example of the work of the foremost English printer/publisher of Protestant material of his generation. STC 13213. ESTC S103980. LUBORSKY & INGRAM 13213.