Venusins Autografer

Abstract

Peter Andersen: Venusinus’s autographs Today thirteen autograph manuscripts are known by the Danish humanist Jon JacobsenVenusinus (d. 1608), cited in older research particularly with reference to his oppositionto exorcism. His enemies compared him to Faust; an admirer described him as ‘theman with the enchanting name’. He first called himself Coronensis, alluding both tohis upbringing in Landskrona and to his close association with the royal house, but hechanged his name about 1595 to Venusinus, referring both to Ven, the island on whichhe claimed to have been born, and Venusia, Horace’s home town. Seven bookplatesprovide an insight into this Dane’s personal library. Among his books was a copy ofWilliam Lambarde’s Archaionomia, from which he quotes twenty-four Old English words.Five entries in his alba amicorum bear witness to his circle of friends, which includedseveral Calvinists. Three entries contain his hitherto neglected Latin and Greek mottos.The albums also allow partial reconstruction of his travels abroad. A recently rediscoveredletter to the German Calvinist Johannes Piscator is particularly interesting anddoubles the quantity of known text from Venusinus’s hand.