Fourth Dutch edition of a description of all lands and peoples of the world and particularly their customs and religious beliefs, with chapter 4 devoted to America and chapter 3 on Asia giving extensive coverage to Syria, Arabia and the Middle East, including a description of Mecca and the Kaaba. Franck (1499-1542/43) studied at Heidelberg, became a priest and in 1527 a Lutheran minister, but was critical of Catholics, Lutherans, Zwinglians and Anabaptists, and found common ground with heretics such as Michael Servetus. His Weltbuch, first published in German in 1534, a remarkable early example of comparative religious studies, came under attack from the established church and he was accused of Anabaptism. It was translated into Dutch in 1560 and proved very popular among Dutch Lutherans and especially Anabaptists, forming a keystone in the thought and writings of Menno Simons and the Mennonites.
With some mostly marginal worm holes in the first few pages, occasional browning and water stains (one sheet rather severely browned) and an occasional marginal tear. Binding slightly dirty and wrinkled. A seminal work with a wealth of information about world religions that still speaks to our time. Kaczerowsky, Franck A60?; STCN (3 copies); Typ. Batava 1982 (10 copies)?; USTC 423439 (1 copy); cf. Adams 939, 940 & 946 (German eds.)?; Alden & Landis 595/29 (Claesz. issue); JCB I, pp. 335-336 (Claesz. issue); Sabin 25470 note (Claesz. issue); for Franck and his work in general: Colbus, La Chronique de Sébastien Franck, 2005; Mennonite Encyclopedia II, pp. 363-367.