‎"BAYLY, LEWIS.‎
‎Praxis pietatis: Das ist: ubung der Gottseligkeit: Anfanglich in englischer Sprache beschrieben durch Ludwig Baili. 2 parts. (+) Ein sehr schönes Tractätlein Von der wahren Christlichen Andacht. - [EARLY GERMAN TRANSLATION]‎

‎Luneburg, Johan und Heinrich Sternen, 1634. 8vo. In contemporary full calf with four raised bands and gilt lettering and ornamentation to spine. With two clasps, missing one of the catches. Small paper-label pasted on to top of spine. A few scratches to boards and leather on spine cracked. Internally nice and clean. (12), 480, 76, 115 pp. + double-page frontispiece. ‎

Reference : 61725

‎The exceedingly rare early (second?) German translation of Bishop Bayly's seminal ""The Practice of Piety"". The book became immensely popular during the 17th century, particularly among Puritans and other Protestant groups and was “the most popular English book in Germany in the seventeenth century. At least sixty-nine German editions were published before 1743” (Damrau, Early Puritan Literature in Germany). We have not been able to trace a single copy of the early edition in the trade. “Lewis Bayly was born around 1575 at Carmarthen, Wales, where Thomas Bayly, who probably was his father, was serving as curate at that time. Lewis and his first wife, who was probably Judith Appleton, had their first son in 1595, followed by four additional children. Bayly secured the living of Shipston-on-Stour, in Worcestershire, in 1597, and three years later was presented to the crown living of Evesham in the same county, where he served as headmaster of the grammar school. Bayly soon became known for his preaching and was appointed a chaplain to Prince Henry within a few years of King James’s accession. In 1606, he was presented to the rectory of Llanedi, Carmarthenshire, but remained largely at Evesham. Though he was a conformed Calvinist who respected the authority of the church, Bayly emphasized Puritan-like piety. Shortly after his wife passed away in 1608, he began to work on turning some of his sermons into what would become a Protestant classic, The Practice of Piety.”(Beeke, Meet the Puritans). Provenance: Valdemar's Castle, Denmark ‎