A Companion to Hildegard of Bingen

hildegard of bingen: a history of reception 301
Hildegard’s Texts in the Age of Printing
During the beginning of the age of printing, the incunabula era (c.1450–
1500), not a single text by Hildegard appeared in print form. The conclusion
can be drawn from this fact that at this time, Hildegard saw less general
acceptance of her writings; instead, she exerted influence from a fijirmly
cemented reputation as a prophetic authority. It is only in the early 16th
century that the print history of the Hildegardian corpus begins. Within
the context of the sectarian conflicts between Protestants and Catholics,
Hildegard was discovered as an explicitly Catholic authority. The editio
princeps of one of Hildegard’s texts forms the basis for an edition of the
Scivias printed in Paris in 1513. It was part of the Liber trium virorum et
trium spiritualium virginum published by Faber Stapulensis. In addition to
Hildegard, this collection of visionary-theological works included Hermas
(2nd century CE), Uguetinus (13th century?), Robert of Uzès (1263–1296),
Elisabeth of Schönau (1129–1164), and Mechthild of Hackeborn (1241–1299).
Faber also reports in the preface to the work that he had visited the monasteries
of Johannisberg and Rupertsberg during a trip to Germany. It was
then that he learned of Hildegard’s writings and was able to gain copies
of them, purportedly of the Riesenkodex. It remains interesting that
Faber, who otherwise published works by authors with a strong mystical
bent (Dionysius the Areopagite, Ramon Lull, John of Ruysbroek, Nicholas
Cusanus), devoted so much efffort to Hildegard, who cannot be included
among the mystical writers.
As in the medieval period, so too at the cusp of the early modern era
did Hildegard’s history of influence begin with the Scivias. In addition, the
Riesenkodex proved to retain epoch-spanning importance; its authority
as the central source for Hildegardian texts withstood the change in written
media from manuscript to printed text. The Scivias edition published
by Faber Stapulensis possessed an extensive history of influence. In 1628,
two editions of the Revelationes SS. Virginum Hildegardis & Elizabethae
Schonaugiensis were published in Cologne.
Bernard Wolter (active between 1598 and 1635), printer and publisher,
maintained close contacts with the Jesuits in Cologne and decisively represented
the Catholic, Counter-Reformation position in his more than
350 publications. In his eyes, Hildegard was a dedicated “Catholic,” anti-
Protestant author. During the 17th century, Hildegard exerted influence
among the Counter-Reformation writers, particularly among the Jesuits,
as indicated by the Jesuit drama Von der heiligen Hildegard. The text
was printed in 1617 by Sara Mang[in] in Augsburg, and the play itself was