The June 2021 provenance mystery features Refutatio calumniarum cuiusdam Ioannis Magni Gothi Upsalensis, by Hans Svaning (1503-1584) and printed in 1560. The location of the printer is unknown, but a second edition published in 1561 was printed in Copenhagen.
This is an early work on the history of Denmark and Scandinavia, and a commentary on Johannes Magnus, Archbishop of Uppsa’s (1488-1544) Gothorum Sveonumque historia. The latter was published posthumously in 1554, and a digital version can be viewed here. According to Harald Ilsøe, Magnus “belittled the Danish royal line to the advantage of the Swedish” in his work, resulting in the Svaning’s refutation in the form of this commentary, which was commissioned by the Danish government. The copy at Middle Temple is missing quire C, and our anonymous annotator has made a note of this at folio B4v.
Our anonymous annotator has also included seven full pages of contemporary notes on the final end-leaves of the volume, all of which are included here. At a glance, it appears that the notes do refer to the book, and are not binders’ waste that has simply been inserted at the end of the volume. There is nothing else apparent in the book to give us a clue as to this annotator’s identity, apart from what is possibly their initial at the end of the notes: “His praemissis in Danos convitijs, D.”.
According to Paul Barron Watson, the Refutatio was “so full of bitterness toward the Swedes” that the “Danish chancellor suppressed the pages bearing Svaning’s name” and the book published under another (dead) person’s name, Rosefontanus. The printer’s name and place was suppressed, and the work was made to appear as if it was compiled by Rosefontanus using documents from an earlier date.
As can be seen from the photos, the pages have been trimmed in the 19th century rebinding process. The book is now damaged, and if you would be interested in sponsoring its repair, please let us know using the email address below. The estimated cost of repair would be £375.00.
As ever, if you have any comments on this provenance mystery, contact the library at: library@middletemple.org.uk.
Renae Satterley
June 2021
Middle Temple Library Blog 