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VALERIUS (WOUTERS), Cornelius

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Dutch professor. Utrecht (?), 1512 - Louvain, 11 August 1578. Cornelius Wouters van Audewater, in Latin: Cornelius Valerius ab Auduater, calling himself often 'Ultrajectinus' (from Utrecht). It has been supposed that Valerius was born in Oudewater. 'Van Audewater', however, seems to be a surname. He studied at the Hieronymite School in Utrecht, 1529-1532. From there he went to the University of Louvain. After some six years he returned to Utrecht, to become professor in rhetoric in his old school. In 1546, or at last in the first half of 1547, he returned to Louvain. Giving at first private lessons, he was appointed professor in the Latin language on 7 October 1557 at the Collegium Trilingue Busleydianum of the university. He was very likely also ordained a priest (c. 1540 at Utrecht?). Plantin was the foremost publisher of his works, but their preserved correspondence is limited to two letters (Corr., I, no. 10: 17 October 1561; IV, no. 640: 17 July 1575). Cf. Biographie Nationale [de Belgique], 27, 1938, Columns 399-403; Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek, 5, 1921, Column 92; G. Kuiper, Orbis Artium en Renaissance. I. Cornelius Valerius en Sebastianus Foxius Morzillus als bronnen van Coornhert, Harderwijk, 1941 (fundamental for the bibliography of Valerius's writings); H. de Vocht, History of the Foundation and the Rise of the Collegium Trilingue Lovaniense, 1517-1550, III, 1954, pages 270-281, IV, pages 454-472; H. de Vocht, Cornelii Valerii ab Auwater epistolae et carmina, Louvain, 1957 (Humanistica Lovaniensia, no. cp010514). Other bibliographical references in A. Gerlo - H.D.L. Vervliet, Bibliographie de l'humanisme des anciens Pays-Bas, 1972, page 489.

See also: Scorelius, Poemata, 1566 (no. cp011625).

I. Anacephaleosis (Anacephalaeosis).

Valerius made summaries of some of his works in the form of a table and printed on a broadside. Such tables are known of the Dialectica, Ethica and Rhetorica. The summaries of the Dialectica and Ethica received the general title of Anacephaleosis. We have classified the tables of the Rhetorica under the same catchword.

I. A. Anacephaleosis Dialecticae.

In the foreword of the Rhetorica, dated September 1556, Valerius affirms that he had composed nine years before (that means thus in 1547) an Anacephaleosis of his Dialectica. Copies are known of the editions of 1560 (Louvain), 1568 (Plantin), 1573 (Plantin), 1575 (Plantin), 1582 (Plantin), 1596 (Cologne). Cf. Kuiper, pages 56-57, and the excerpt from the letter of Valerius, 17 July 1575, cited under Anacephaleosis Ethicae.

I. B. Anacephaleosis Ethicae.

Valerius composed this summary of his Ethica in 1575, as he tells in a letter to Plantin's son-in-law (17 July 1575; Corr., IV, no. 640: 'Accepi…libelli nostri Ethici novam editionem: sed novam ei tabellam adjectam desidero, quam aveo videre, sicut illam anacephaleosim Dialectis adjectam, et recens ita auctam, ut totius artis summam complecti videatur'). It is very likely that various editions of this Anacephaleosis were published, but only copies are known of the first edition of 1575.

I. C. Anacephaleosis Rhetoricae.

In the foreword, dated 1556, of his Rhetorica, Valerius affirms that he had already added an Anacephaleosis to this first edition (cf. Kuiper, page 134). Copies of this Anacephaleosis are only known of the editions of 1573 (quoted by Kuiper), 1575 (?) and 1580 (both unknown to Kuiper).

II. Dialectica.

1- School-book for the study of dialectic. As the author explains in the foreword, dated 23 May 1545, this treatise was a summary of his school-teaching. The De inventione dialectica of Rudolf Agricola influenced deeply Valerius; he was also much indebted to Aristoteles, Cicero, Quintilianus, Boethius. Cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 48-50, 109-114. -2- The work was written in or shortly before 1545. The first foreword (reprinted in the first editions) is dated Utrecht, 23 May 1545. In the second foreword (also retaken in the first editions), written at Orléans, 1 October 1547, Valerius affirms that 'some months before' (in later editions 'paucis ante mensibus' was changed into 'nuper admodum') he had taught these Tabulae with much success at Louvain. -3- The first known edition is from 1548 (Paris, Vascosan). There were perhaps older publications (Utrecht, H. Borculo, 1545; Basel, 1545). More than in his other works, the author made during the years sometimes very substantial changes in the texts of the various editions. Kuiper, pages 60-61, 104-106, distinguishes four series: I) 1545 (Utrecht, H. Borculo: ?), 1545 (Basel: ?), 1548 (Paris, Vascosan), 1549 (Louvain, Sassenus-Birckman), 1550 (Paris, Vascosan), 1555 (Louvain, Sassenus: ?), 1556 (Lyons, J. Tornaesius): concise and handy school-book; II) The edition of 1560 (Louvain, S. Sassenus-A. Birckman) opens a new series, with a far more elaborate text: the school-book for students had become a hand-book for professors. The series continues with the editions of 1563 (Louvain, Sassenus-Birckman) and 1564 (Venice, Rampazetus); III) In the 3rd series some chapters were rewritten and made more comprehensive (minor changes and additions were also made in the subsequent editions). This series is formed by editions printed by Plantin or inspired from his publications: 1567 (Plantin), 1569 (Plantin), 1573 (Plantin), 1573 (Cologne, Birckman), 1573 (Venice: ?), 1574 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1575 (Plantin), 1576 (Paris), 1583 (Cologne, Gymnicus: ?) 1585 (Venice: ?), 1591 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1596 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1613 (Cologne, Kinckius); IV) In a last series - with a changed title - the text was much reduced and the treatise became again a school-book for students (at the same time a new foreword to G. Canterus replaced the two older dedicatories). Only two publications of this series are known, both by Plantin (1575 and 1582). Kuiper believes that already in 1570 a first edition of this series had been published, but his supposition is only based on the fact that both foreword and approbatio of the new edition are dated 1570. The possibility remains that an edition had already been considered (and prepared) in 1570 but that, for one reason or another, the text was only printed for the first time in 1575. -4- Illustration: the Plantinian editions have a small woodcut, showing a hand (par. LXXV: De tribus syllogismi pronuntiatis). -5- Listed in M 164, folio 6r, and M 296, folio 3r, but without details permitting identification with specific editions (Dialectica in 8⁰, f[euilles] -, [price:] stuivers 2); exception made for the editions of 1567 and 1575 (series III), which are noted separately. The edition of 1582 is not mentioned in M 321.

III. Ethica.

1- School-book on ethica or moralis philosophia, based on classical authors (Cicero, Aristoteles, Plato, Plutarchus, Seneca), but brought into agreement with the Christian religion. Among the old Christian authors Augustinus and Lactantius are the most frequently quoted. Of the contemporary scholars, Caelius Calcagninus Ferraniensis and Joannes Jovianus Pontanus exercised a notable influence. Cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 96-104. -2- In the foreword to the editio princeps of 1566, Joannes Oporinus, publisher and printer in Basel, explains how pupils of Valerius, passing through Basel on their way to Italy, gave him a copy of the text of the Ethica, dictated by their preceptor. When shown the text, the scholars consulted by Oporinus agreed that this was a very good manual on a difficult subject, and advised that it should be printed without delay. Which the Basel publisher did, for the benefit of the students and without waiting for or even asking the consent of the author. In his edition of 1566 Oporinus included the related work of S. Foxius Morzillus, Ethicae philosophiae compendium, ex Platone, Aristotele, aliisque opt. quibusque autoribus collectum, while 'ne paginae aliquot vacarent' were added fragments of the works of the Pythagoreans, translated from Greek by a pupil of Valerius, Guilielmus Canterus. -3- The subsequent editions of Valerius's Ethica were for the larger part published by Plantin. The known series of editions of the Ethica runs as follows: 1566 (Basel, Oporinus), 1567 (Plantin), 1568 (Plantin), 1568 (Lyons, Paganus), 1572 (Plantin), 1573 (Plantin), 1574 (Plantin), 1575 (Plantin), 1582 (Plantin), 1589 (?). Cf. Kuiper, pages 357-358. In 1571 was published in London an English translation (cf. Kuiper, pages 96 and 357). -4- Plantin had probably obtained Valerius's permission to publish his 1567-edition, but the work itself was a reprint of Oporinus's 1566-publication, including Oporinus's foreword addressed to the studious reader and the page-filling Fragmenta quaedam Pythagoreorum, but with the omission of the Compendium of S. Foxius Morzillus. If, in all probability, Valerius did not have found the time or the opportunity to revise the text printed by Plantin in 1567, he made a series of smaller changes in Plantin's subsequent reprints (cf. Kuiper, page 95). The introduction by Oporinus was deleted in the Plantinian publications from 1568 onwards. -5- Listed in M 164, folio 6r, and M 296, folio 3r, but without details permitting identification with specific editions: 8⁰, f[euilles] -, [price:] stuivers 1½ (in M 296: 1¼ stuivers). Another edition mentioned in M 164, folio 10v: 'Ethica Valerii, 8⁰, [price:] stuivers 1¼'. The 1582-edition is not noted in M 321.

IV. Grammatica.

1- Latin grammar in four volumes: I. Rudimenta;, II. Etymologia, seu Analogia; III. Syntaxis; IV. Prosodia (= de carminum ratione seu de versibus faciendis). Valerius used, besides the grammars of classical authors, also the Latin grammars compiled by contemporary scholars, especially Linacer and Despauterius. Cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 58-59, 122-132. -2- In the foreword to the reader in the first edition (1550), the author explains that the first two books had been dictated to the brothers Philibert and Jacobus van Serooskercke 'recently' (nuper), while books III and IV were dictated to Johannes Franciscus, count of Rennenberg, 'two years ago', that means thus at the end of 1547 or the beginning of 1548. In the foreword to the edition of 1554 (and the subsequent editions) the dates are switched: books I and II are said to have been dictated seven years ago (thus in 1547-1548) to Philibert van Serooskercke and books III and IV two years later to the count of Rennenberg. Anyway, the genesis of the Grammatica is to be placed in the years 1547-1549, when Valerius was giving private lessons in Louvain. In the foreword of 1554, Valerius also specifies that not only pupils and friends urged him to publish the grammar, but also pedagogues as Otto Hackius. -3- The first edition of 1550 (Paris, Vascosan; the Parisian publisher made a reprint in 1557) was followed in 1554 by a revised version, printed in Louvain by Bergagne. It received a new foreword and in various parts of the work a docendi ratio, an explanation of Valerius's method of teaching, is added. The printing by Bergagne, however, was so poorly done, that Valerius was highly infuriated. He supervised personally a new edition, printed in 1560 in Louvain by Sassenus. Minor changes were made in the subsequent editions, but the text remained basically the same as in the 1560-publication. The series (up to the death of Plantin) runs as follows: 1560 (Louvain, Sassenus), 1562 (Plantin-Silvius), 1564 (Antwerp, Silvius), 1565-1566 (Silvius), 1567 (Plantin), 1567 (Silvius), 1569 (Plantin), 1569 (Lyons, J. Tornaesius), 1570 (Antwerp, Silvius: liber II), 1571 (?: liber III), 1573 (Plantin), 1574 (Plantin), 1574 (Dillingen: ?), 1575 (Plantin), 1575 (Cologne, Birckman), 1575 (Dillingen, S. Mayer), 1577 (Antwerp: ?), 1577-1578 (Plantin), 1580 (Plantin), 1580 (Iena: ?), 1582 (Ingolstadt). In the period 1581-1586, Plantin published the four volumes of the Grammatica separately in two series; a first series in 1581-1584 (I, 1581; II, 1584; III, 1584; IV, 1582), a second in 1585-1586 (I, 1585; II, 1585; III, 1585; IV, 1586). It is possible that a Plantinian edition of the four volumes appeared in 1589, but no copies are known. Cf. Kuiper, pages 57, 62, 114-115, 353-354. -4- The work is listed in M 164, folio 6r, and M 296, folio 3r, but - with the exception of the 1562-edition, which is noted separately - without details permitting the identification of specific editions: [Cor. Valerii] Gra[mmatica] liber: I. Rudimenta: f[euilles] 6, [price:] stuivers 1; II. Etymologia: f[euilles] 7, [price:] stuivers 1½; III. Syntaxis: f[euilles] 5, [price:] stuivers ¾, stuivers 1; IV. De Carminum ratione: f[euilles] 2½, [price:] stuivers ½. 'Ensemble: pour stuivers 4'. The editions of the period 1580-1589 are, with one exception (I. Rudimenta: 1581), not listed in M 321.

V. Physica.

1- School-book for the study of physics. Valerius's intention was to summarize the Physica (naturae ratio or naturae explicatio) in order to open for the students the way to the classical philosophers. These philosophers, notably Aristoteles and Plato, were brought into agreement with each other and with the Christian religion (cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 84-93). -2- In the dedicatory, dated 26 June 1566, Valerius explains the genesis of his study. Already before the publication of the first edition of his Tabulae dialectices (in 1545) he had promised a short treatise on the Physica philosophia. Some four years passed before, independently from each other, he and his friend, S. Foxius Morzillus, started writing & Physica, Foxius making an elaborate work, Valerius a short survey of the subject. Foxius finished first and was prompted by Valerius to publish his treatise (which was done in 1554, under the title De naturae philosophia, seu de Platonis, et Aristotelis consensione, libri V). Valerius did not had the intention to publish his own lucubrationes, but some friends, having read the text he dictated to his students, urged him to publish it, affirming moreover that, as his study was much shorter than Foxius's, it was more useful for students. Valerius also had heard of copies of his 'dictation' circulating without his consent (a fact he disliked profoundly, as appears very clearly in the forewords to all his publications). When Plantin, who had come into the possession of such a copy, sought authorization to publish the work, Valerius granted it. Cf. also Kuiper, page 41. -3- The Plantin-edition of 1567 (printed in November 1566) may be considered to be the first 'official' publication. That there were earlier 'non-official' publications is unlikely. The Lyons edition of 1566, mentioned in Répertoire des ouvrages pédagogiques du XVIe siècle, 1886, page 641 (cf. Kuiper, page 82), dates in fact from 1568. -4- The series of known editions of Valerius's Physica (up to the death of Plantin) runs as follows: 1567 (Plantin), 1568 (Plantin), 1568 (Lyons, Th. Haganus), 1572 (Plantin), 1573 (Plantin), 1574 (Plantin), 1575 (Plantin), 1580 (Plantin), 1584 (Plantin). -5- The various Plantinian editions were reprints of the 1567-publication, with only small corrections and additions (such as marginals from 1572 onwards). In a letter of 17 July 1575 (Corr., IV, no. 640), Valerius asks to change some terms in a new edition; these changes were effectively made in the edition of 1575. -6- Listed in Ms. 164 and M 296 but without details permitting the identification of specific editions: M 164, folio 6r, and M 296, folio 3r (Cor. Valerii Physica in 8⁰, f[euilles] -, [price:] stuivers 1½) and folio 14v (Physica Corn. Val. in 8⁰, A⁰ -, f[euilles] 8, [price:] stuivers 1¼). The 1580- and 1584-editions are not mentioned in M 321.

VI. Rhetorica.

1- School-book for the study of rhetoric, based on the works of Aristoteles, Cicero, Quintilianus and some other classical authors. Used were also the studies and theories of more contemporary scholars: Georgius Trapezuntius, Rudolf Agricola, Erasmus, Melanchton, Georgius Macropedius, Petrus Mosellanus. Cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 136-148. -2- In the dedicatory, dated 1 September 1556, Valerius gives some details about the genesis of his treatise. Eighteen years before (that means thus in 1538, during his days as a student in Louvain), teaching young men of his age, he summarized for their benefit the rhetorical precepts in a handy booklet. The danger was not imaginary that this hand-book would be printed without the consent of the author, but, notwithstanding the urgent requests of his friends, he postponed for a long time the publication, until finally he revised the text and published it in 1556. Cf. Kuiper, pages 42 and pages 63-64. -3- The series of known editions (up to the death of Plantin) runs as follows: 1556 (Louvain, Sassenus-Birckman), 1556 (Lyons), 1558 (Lyons), 1559 (Louvain, Sassenus-Birckman), 1561 (Düsseldorf, Oridryus), 1563 (Louvain, Sassenus-Birckman), 1564 (Venice), 1567 (Strasbourg), 1567 (Antwerp, Silvius), 1568 (Plantin), 1569 (Plantin), 1569 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1571 (Plantin), 1572 (Cologne, Birckman), 1573 (Plantin), 1573 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1575 (Plantin), 1577 (Lyons, Cloquemin), 1578 (Plantin), 1580 (Plantin), 1583 (Cologne), 1585 (Plantin), 1585 (Venice), 1587 (Cologne, Gymnicus), 1589 (?). Cf. Kuiper, pages 354-355. -4- The first Plantin-edition of 1568 was probably printed from or at least inspired by the 1563-Louvain edition (or from the 1567-edition of Plantin's Antwerp colleague, Silvius, of which, however, no copies are known). Some changes without great importance were made by Valerius in subsequent editions (cf. Kuiper, pages 133-134). In a letter of 17 July 1575 to Plantin's sons-in-law (Corr., IV, no. 460), Valerius asks that some carefully specified alterations should be made (with references to the 1573-edition) in the new editions of his Rhetorica. These corrections, however, have not been made, neither in the 1575-publication or in subsequent editions. -5- Listed in M 164, folio 6r, and M 296, folio 3r, but without details permitting the identification of specific editions: 'Rhetorica in 8⁰, f[euilles] 8½ (in M 164 is specified 'cum tab[ula] ', meaning the Anacephaleosis), [price:] stuivers 2'. In M 296, folio 16r, two other editions are mentioned, one without date (f[euilles] -, [price:] stuivers 1½), the other being the 1568-publication (f[euilles] 9, [price:] stuivers 1½). In Ms. 321 is noted the edition of 1585, but not the one of 1580.

VII. De sphaera.

1- School-book for the study of cosmography with a brief supplement on geography, based primarily on the teachings of the classical authors. Cf. the analysis of the work in Kuiper, pages 80-81. -2- In the dedicatory, dated 1561, Valerius explains the genesis of the treatise. Twenty-four years before (that means thus in 1537, during his days as a student in Louvain) he dictated this hand-book of cosmography to some friends and fellow-students of his age (one being the man to whom the work is dedicated, Gulielmus van Heteren). Several friends were now exhorting him to have it published: Joannes Lentius, 'consiliarius regius'; Joannes Philippus Matius, the husband of Valerius's sister, and father of four sons, eager to study; and Joannes Cauchius, also the father of two young sons. These friends also affirmed that the study had been printed somewhere in Germany. This was astonishing news for Valerius, who supposed that some of his old fellow-students edited the study without his consent. Thus he now preferred to publish this old treatise himself, having made some small corrections and revisions ('id nunc paucis in locis recognitum'). -3- No copy of the German edition mentioned in Valerius's dedicatory seems to have survived - if in fact such an edition has existed. The known series opens with the 1561-edition of Plantin and Silvius. Some 9 re-editions followed, most of them printed in the Officina Plantiniana. The series runs as follows: 1561 (Plantin and Silvius), 1562 (Louvain, Sassenus: the existence of this edition is not quite sure; anyway, no copies are known), 1564 (Antwerp, Silvius), 1568 (Plantin), 1573 (Plantin), 1575 (Plantin), 1581 (Plantin), 1585 (Plantin), 1593 (Officina Plantiniana), 1596 (Frankfurt). Cf. Kuiper, page 356. -4- The various editions are reprints of the 1561-publication. The revisions and changes are small. For example a comparison between the 1561- and the 1581-editions shows in the latter: a) that the paragraph 'De mundo et praecipuis eius partibus et orbium caelestium motu' has been omitted and some lines rewritten at the beginning of the following paragraph (in 1561-edited by: folios 6v-7v; in 1581-edited by: page 9); b) that some lines have been added at the end of the paragraph 'De mundo et partibus eius praecipuis' (in 1561-edited by: folio 21r; in 1581-edited by: pages 31-32); c) that some lines have been omitted from the paragraph 'De triplici stellarum ortu et occasu' (in 1561-edited by: folio 29r; in 1581-edited by: page 47); d) that a new illustration with explanation appears at the end of the paragraph 'De duplici planetarum ortu et occasu…' (in 1561-edited by: folio 32v; in 1581-edited by: pages 53-54); e) that the last part of the paragraph on the circumference of the earth has been changed (in 1561-edited by: folios 37v-38r; in 1581-edited by: pages 61-62). -5- Illustrations: a) the first Plantinian edition of 1561 is illustrated with 12 crude woodcuts (of varying dimensions), visualizing Valerius's conceptions of cosmography. The paragraph 'De angulis' has also a marginal reproduction of three angles, executed typographically; b) The same woodcuts were used in the subsequent Plantinian editions, with only small changes. A comparison between the 1561- and the 1581-edition, for example, shows that in the latter the illustration with the reproduction of the zodiac signs (in 1561-edited by: on folio 7v) has been deleted and one of the three illustrations on 'De duplici planetarum ortu et occasu, duplici statione et epicycli motu' replaced by a more elaborate one (in 1561-edited by: folio 32v; in 1581-edited by: page 53). -6- In the Plantinian catalogues (M 164, M 296, M 321) are only listed the editions of 1561, 1573 and 1585.

Title:
VALERIUS (WOUTERS), Cornelius
The Plantin Press Online
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004525863_CPO_cp093317
Language:
Spanish
Source Editors:
Kristof Selleslach and Zanna Van Loon
First-online:
01 Jan 2024
Last-update:
02 May 2024
ISSN:
9789004525863
Publisher:
Brill

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