Richard Tracy | A brief short declaracyon made, 1548

Richard Tracy

A bryef & short declaracyon made, wherbye everye chrysten man maye knowe, what is a sacrament... London: Robert Stoughton, 10 November 1548

Small 8vo (139 x 83 mm), gothic type, 15 leaves (only, of 16: lacking terminal blank), nineteenth-century black morocco, ruled and lettered in gilt, gilt edges, brown endpapers, inner dentelles, lacking terminal blank, residue from removed bookplate to rear pastedown

One of two treatises published by Tracy in this year opposing transubstantiation by reference to pre-medieval traditions (particularly Augstine). The author (d. 1569) was the son of William Tracy (d.1530), who adopted Luther's religious views and who was associated with Tyndale and Frith. In a sensational episode the father's remains were exhumed and burnt at the stake by Archbishop Warham after his will-which expressed belief in justification by faith-was declared heretical. Richard inherited his father's views and wrote his first treatise in 1533. In 1535 his writings were classed as "dangerous", and on 7 July 1546-following Cromwell's fall-his books were ordered to be burnt. William de Tracy, the murderer of Thomas a Becket, is said to have belonged to the same family (see DNB).

PROVENANCE:

Zion Research Library: bookplate

LITERATURE:

STC 24162