Nice and well preserved set of the rare revised and extended second edition of the most extensive collection ever compiled of the ancient ecclesiastical writers. It was done by Marguerin de la Bigne, French theologian, patrologist, and canon of Bayeux (ca. 1546-1590) and must be seen in the context of the Catholic counter reformation in the sixteenth century. The texts were brought together to show the orthodox foundations of the catholic faith. The Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum, in 8 volumes (Paris, 1575) and with a 9th volume to follow in 1579, contained the text of more than 200 writers of the early and Middle Ages and was the pioneer in the field of critical patristics. In 1589 came our second edition, in nine volumes, increased by the addition of a good many treatises, but marked also by the omission of several which had called forth the censure of the authorities. Among these were the works of Nicholas de Clemanges, whose animadversions on ecclesiastical matters had seemed to surpass the bounds of fair criticism. So dangerous, indeed, did the collection appear to some minds that the Jesuit Possevin declared that it is impossible, salva conscientia, to keep either of the first two editions of the Bibliotheca on one's shelves, and more than one detailed censure of the book was issued. The work developed into the Maxima Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum, published in Lyon in 27 folio volumes (1677) and edited by Philippus Despontius. It is still considered one of the principal patristic collections, next to Migne which is more complete but carelessly edited and often inaccurate. Small library stamp on first free endpapers; title-page of volume I and some passages with annotations in an old hand; tear touching the large vignette (ca. 5x1.5 cm) of first title-page; some quires somewhat more browned than most; slight marginal worming; unobtrusive waterstain in margins of various quires; lacking labels of volume V and VIII; minor imperfections to bindings -some wormholes a little wear - and soil as expected. Adams L5.