Mistaken Authorship: A Study of the First Edition and Reprints of the Pamphlet Ein Mandat Jesu Christi
Abstract
The pamphlet "Ein Mandat Jesu Christi" was created in 1524. Surprisingly, it was reworked in the same year.
The study aims to answer the question why the original text of the evidently successful pamphlet had to be edited already in the first year of its publication. Jiří Černý first compares the original and the revised versions and clarifies some aspects regarding the authorship of the text.
Second, he examines the tradition of heavenly letters in connection with the Mandat. Next, he proceeds to analyse the first print, which enables to examine at greater depth printing practices in the sixteenth century.
Finally, he focuses on the use of different title pages thereby he gives insights into the text's possible reception by the contemporary public.