The Corpus Christi Library of the Canons Regular in the 15th and 16th centuries

Abstract

The monastery of the Canons Regular in Kazimierz nearby Cracow was established in 1405, at the Corpus Christi church. The beginning of its library were liturgical books maintained in the church’s sacristy, and registered in the list of 1399. In 1407 the bishop Piotr Wysz offered his house to the congregation, for library purposes (among others). The amount of the Corpus Christi Library in the 15^th and 16^th centuries (1200 volumes) were determined by the Author in the result of sources analysis – preserved books and two library catalogues (of 1741 and 1811), registering volumes owned by the library in that time. Referring to these sources, the Author characterises also the book collection – editions of the Bible and other theological, Church Fathers’, homiletic, legislative, philosophical, medical, encyclopaedic, and historical works (including the Polonica). Concluding, the Author mentions interesting provenance signs on the volumes – of the monks, people from the academic community of the Cracow Academy, city aldermen, other monastic libraries (e.g. of the Order of Saint Paul, the Augustinians, the Discalced Carmelites). However she underlines that provenances of the Canons’ Regular collection from the monastery in Kazimierz require further in-depth analysis.