  1. A MS. of Schiltberger’s travels, undoubtedly of the fifteenth century, preserved in the University Library at Heidelberg and known as the Heidelberg MS., consists of ninety-six carefully and neatly written sheets of paper, in good style, and evidently the work of a professional scribe. It is about eight inches long by six inches broad, bound in leather, with bronze corner plates and clasps, and bears on the upper board a portrait in gold of the Elector, with the initials O. H.—P. C., Otto Heinrich—Palatinus Comes, and the date 1558. Another date, 1443, probably the year in which the MS. was written, appears inside the binding, which is beautifully ornamented with illustrations from the Old and New Testaments. This volume was included in the Palatine Library that was carried off by Tilly in 1621, and presented by Maximilian, duke of Bavaria, to Gregory XV. as a trophy of the Catholic cause. After the general peace of 1815, Pius VII. restored the collection to Heidelberg, at the instance of the King of Prussia. 2. The ducal library at Donaueschingen possesses a MS. on paper, of the fifteenth century, consisting of 134 leaves in sheepskin boards, with brass corner plates and clasps. The work is contemporary with the Heidelberg MS., or at all events not of a later period. First page.—ICh Johanns schiltperger zoch vsz von miner haymat mit namen vs der Statt MÚnchen gelegen in Bayern in der czit als kÚnig Sygmund zu vngern in die haydenschafft zoch Das was als man zalt von Crists gebÚrt drwczehenhundert vnd At the last page is the Pater Noster in the Armenian and Tatar tongues. 3. Another MS. of Schiltberger’s travels, of the end of the fifteenth or of the early part of the sixteenth century, in the public library at Nuremberg, is entitled: Hanns Schiltperger von MÜnchen ist auszgezogen da man zalt 1394—wiedergekommen 1427. First page.—Ich Hanns Schiltperger pin von meine Heymatt auszgezogen von der statt genandt Munchen die da leyt zu pÄyren da man zalt von cristgepÜret MCCCLXXXXIIII und das ist gescheen da konig Sigmundt zu ungern in die Haydenschafft zoch Concluding paragraph at the end. Gott dem sey gedanckt das mir der macht und Krafft gegeben hat und mich behÜett vnd beschirmet hatt zwai vnd dreyssig Jare die ich Hansz Schiltperger jnn der Haidenschafft gewesen pin vnd alles das vorgeschreiben stet erfaren vnd gesehen han. This MS. was formerly the property of Adamnanus Rudolph Solger, protestant pastor of the church of St. Laurence in Nuremberg, whose library was sold in 1766, for the sum of 15,000 florins, to the municipality of the free 66. Ein starker Foliant von unterschiedlichen Reissbeschreibungen: 1) Marcho Polo von Venedig ein Edler Wandrer und Ritter ist ausgezogen A. 1230. 4. In 1488, a MS. of Schiltberger’s travels was in the possession of a Receiver of Revenue, named Matthias Bratzl, who caused it to be bound in one volume, with MSS. of Marco Polo, St. Brandon, Sir John Mandevile, and Ulrich of Frioul, and then wrote on the fly-leaf a note to the following effect:—“Having acquired the herein-named books, I have had them bound together, and have added a valuable and accurate map. Should the reader of these writings not know where the countries are, whose customs and habits are described, they are to look into the map. The map will also serve to complete what may be wanting in the books, and indicate the roads by which the travellers went. The map and the books quite agree. Whoever inherits this volume after my death, is to leave the different books together, and the map with them.” When Gottlieb von Murr, the distinguished bibliographer and antiquary (1733–1811), saw the volume, the map was missing. This MS. was originally at Munich, but being sent to Printed Books.(1.) s.a. s.l. fol. with woodcuts; 37 lines (?) in each page. Printed, probably, by GÜnther Zainer, Ulm. 1473? Title.—Hie vahet an d Schildberger der vil wunders erfaren hatt in der heydenschafft und in d tÜrckey. A copy of this edition is in the public library at Augsburg; another is at Munich, but in a very defective state. This edition, believed to be the earliest, is mentioned by Panzer, Ebert, Kobolt, Brunet, Hain, Ternaux-Compans, and GrÄsse. (2.) s.a. s.l. fol. with 15 woodcuts. Forty-six leaves without pagination, register or catch-words; 33, 34, 35, or 36 lines in each page. Printed, probably, by A. Sorg, Augsburg. 1475? Ich Schildtberger zoche auss von meiner heimet mit Namen auss der stat mÜnchen gelegen in bayern in der zeyt als kÜnig Sigmund zu vngern in die heydenschafft zoch das was als man zalt von christi geburt dreizechenhundert und an dem vier und neÜntzigesten Jar etc. A copy at the British Museum is bound in one volume with duke Ernest of Bavaria; S. Brandon, abbot; and Ludolphus de Suchem. Another copy is in the public library, Munich. (3.) s.a. s.l. Fifty-seven leaves. Hye vahet an der Schildtberger der vil wunders erfaren hat in der heydenschafft vnd in d TÜrckey. A copy at the public library, Munich, is bound in one volume with duke Ernest, and S. Brandon. A duplicate is defective. The imperial and royal library at Vienna also possesses a copy. (4.) 1494. Frankfort. 4o. Mentioned by Tobler who quotes GrÄsse. (5.) 1513. Tobler mentions an edition of this date, being a reprint of Zainer’s edition, 1473? Title.—Ein wunderbarliche vnnd kÜrtzweylige Histori wie Schildtberger einer auss der Stat MÜnchen in Bayern von den TÜrcken gefangen in die Heydenschafft gefÜret vnnd wider heymkommen Item was sich fÜr krieg vnnd wunderbarlicher thaten diervyl er inn der Heydenschafft gewesen zugetragen gantz kÜrtzweylig zu lesen NÜrmberg durch Johann vom Berg Vnd Ulrich Newber. Copies of this edition are in the royal library, Dresden, and the public library, Munich. Mentioned by Ebert and Tobler. (7.) 1549. Herman GÜlfferich, Frankfort. 4o. with 37 woodcuts. Seventy leaves; 32 lines in each page. No pagination, but with catch-words. Has a preface. Title.—Ein wunderbarliche vnd kurtzweilige History wie Schildtberger einer auss der Stad MÜnchen inn Beyern von den TÜrcken gefangen inn die Heydenschafft gefÜret vnnd widder heimkommen ist sehr lÜstig zu lesen. M.D.XLIX. Colophon.—Gedruckt zu Franckfurdt am Mayn durch Herman GÜlfferichen inn der Schnurgassen zu dem Krug. Copies of this edition are in the British Museum, in the public library, Munich, and imperial public library, St. Petersburg. Mentioned by Panzer, Ebert, Kobolt, Ternaux-Compans, Grasse, and Tobler. (8.) 1549? Nuremberg. 4o. Title.—Similar to that printed at Frankfort in 1549. Mentioned by Panzer who quotes Meusel. (9.) s.a. s.l. small 4o. Scheiger saw at Wels, in Austria, a copy which was supposed to be of the year 1551, and published at Munich. It was stated in a MS. marginal note, that Schiltberger was born at mid-day, on the 8th day of May. (10.) s.a. Weygandt Han, Frankfort. 4o. with 37 woodcuts, similar to those in the edition of 1549. Seventy leaves; 32 lines in each page. No pagination, but with catch-words. Has a preface. Title.—Ein wunderbarliche unnd kurtzweilige History Wie Schildtberger einer auss der Stadt MÜnchen in Beyern von den TÜrcken gefangen in die Heydenschafft gefÜret vnd wider heimkommen ist sehr lÜstig zu lesen. Colophon.—Gedruckt zu Franckfurdt am Mayn durch Weygandt Han in der Schnurgassen zum Krug. Copies of this edition are in the British Museum, where it is catalogued, 1554? In the royal library, Dresden; public library, Frankfort; public library, Hamburg; imperial public library, St. Petersburg. Mentioned by Panzer, Ebert, and Tobler who says that the above Title, and the Title of the edition printed at Nuremberg by J. v. Berg and U. Newber (see 6), are identical! (11.) 1557. Frankfort. 4o. Title.—Gefangenschaft in der TÜrckey. (According to Ternaux-Compans.) (12.) 1606. J. Francke, Magdeburg. 4o., with woodcuts. Title.—Eine wunderbarliche vnd kurtzweilige History, Wie Schildtberger, einer aus der Stadt MÜnchen in Bayern, von den TÜrcken gefangen, in die Heydenschafft gefÜhret, vnd wider heymkommen ist, sehr lustig zu lesen. A copy of this edition is in the library of the imperial university, Strasburg. Mentioned by Freytag, Ebert, Kobolt, Tobler who quotes GrÄsse, and Ternaux-Compans from whom we learn of another edition— (13.) 1606. Frankfort. 8vo. Title.—Reise in die Heydenschaft. (14.) s.a. s.l. Supposed by Tobler to be of the year 1700. (15.) 1813. Edited by A. J. Penzel. Munich, small 8vo. Title.—Schiltberger’s aus MÜnchen von den TÜrken in der Schlacht von Nicopolis 1395 gefangen, in das Heidenthum gefÜhrt, und 1427 wieder heimgekommen. Reise in den Orient und wunderbare Begebenheiten von ihm selbst geschrieben. Aus einer alten Handschrift Übersetzt und herausgegeben von A. J. Penzel. (16.) 1814. Edited by A. J. Penzel. Munich, small 8vo. A copy of the last edition, with similar title-page. (17.) 1823. Munich. 8vo. Title.—Sch. a. MÜnchen v. d. TÜrken in d. Schlacht v. Nicopolis Thus quoted by GrÄsse. (18.) 1859. Edited by Prof. K. F. Neumann. Munich, small 8vo. With Introduction and Notes by the editor, and Notes by Fallmerayer and Hammer-Purgstall. Title.—Reisen des Johannes Schiltberger aus MÜnchen, in Europa, Asia, und Afrika, von 1394 bis 1427. Zum ersten Mal nach der gleichzeitigen Heidelberger Handschrift herausgegeben und erlÄutert von Karl Friedrich Neumann. In the copy of this edition at the Institut, Paris, are several loose sheets containing a resumÉ of the Travels, in MS., by D’Avezac. (19.) 1866. Edited by Professor Philip Bruun. Odessa. 8vo. Title.—Pouteshestvy’ye Ivana Schiltbergera pa Yevrope, Asii y Afrike, s. 1394 po 1427 god. Published in the Records of the Imperial University of New Russia, vol. i. This attempt at a Bibliography of the Travels of Johann Schiltberger is no doubt far from being complete; but I believe it to be the first of its sort. The details given by Bibliographers are not, in many cases, very explicit, and no little difficulty has been experienced in collecting desirable information, replies to enquiries not being always readily obtained. According to Tobler, for instance, the university at Berlin possesses copies of six different editions; but my requests for particulars have not been successful—and so in other quarters. Feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes. |
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