Pierwsze krakowskie drukowane dzieła teologiczne obcych i rodzimych polemistów antyprotestanckich

Abstract

As early as the initial period of the Reformation, Polish typographic printing houses started to bring out books which propagated the doctrines of the reformers, as well as those which were against them. It was the invention of print that made it possible for new ideas to be spread, and it made possible the defence of the Catholic faith. Until mid-16th century all the printed editions of foreign and Polish theological works written by anti-Protestant polemicists appeared in Krakow. In other centres, literature of that kind was printed after 1550. The largest number of works in Krakow was made in Hieronim Wietor’s, and then in Maciej Szarfenberg’s printing houses. After Martin Luther’s public exposition in 1517, initially there would appear books written by foreign authors. One should mention here Erasmus, who was equally well-known in Poland as in other parts of Europe. His learned studies De libero arbitrio or Hyperaspistes diatribae were printed in Krakow soon after the original had been edited. The studies written by Vio Kajetan and John Eck, a professor of Ingolstadt University, were also printed. John Eck was well-known because of his participation in the Lipsk debate against Andreas Karlstadt and Martin Luther. There was also a number of theological books written by Polish authors, and printed either in Latin or Polish, although in the beginning the classical language was preferred. We find here the following authors: Stanisław Bieliński, Grzegorz of Szamotuły, Jan Dantyszek, Michał Hillebrand, Andrzej Krzycki, Mateusz of Kościan, Stanisław Orzechowski, Stanisław Morawicki of Szczodrkowice. The latter edited a book in Polish entitled “Rozmowa nowa, niektórego pielgrzyma z gospodarzem o niektórych ceremoniach kościelnych” [A New Conversation Between a Pilgrim and a Landlord about Some Church Ceremonies]. Apart from that work in the Polish language, there appeared an anonymous book entitled “Księgi próbowane przez doktory i ludzie nauczone Kościoła rzymskiego” [Books Tested by Doctors and Learned People of the Roman Church].