Authors/Raymund Minderer

Dedications, Prefaces, Postfaces

• Dedication, no date (1595), Raymund Minderer to Wilhelm Graf von Oettingen-Wallerstein; Latin (Source: VD16 H 4481)

In this letter, Minderer addresses his patron, extolling the importance of health as the most valuable asset in life. Minderer emphasizes that while factors such as air, exercise, diet, and other physician-recommended practices are vital for maintaining and restoring health, medicines hold the greatest power in achieving these goals. Drawing on the ancient physician Herophilus, who famously referred to medicines as "the hands of the gods," Minderer highlights the significance of simple medicines—those composed of a single substance. He references the example of Cato, who reportedly used only cabbage to maintain the health of himself, his family, and friends into old age. Having completed his early studies under the renowned Professor Edmund Hollyng at the University of Ingolstadt, Minderer proposes to publicly defend theses on the action of simple medicines and dedicates this scholarly work to Count Wilhelm as a token of gratitude for his support.

• Dedication, no date (1609), Raymund Minderer to Marcus Welser and Johann Jacob Rembold; Latin

This letter draws an analogy between the author's medical efforts and the ancient practice of athletes using strigils to scrape off sweat and dirt after competition. Following a personal struggle against the plague, the author presents his work, likening it to these scrapings—a modest but meaningful contribution to the public good. He reflects on the value of preserving even small remnants of effort, both for utility and as a record of past struggles. The letter requests the recipients’ protection and endorsement of his work, hoping their authority will shield it from criticism and lend it credibility. Through classical references and appeals to civic duty, the author emphasizes that his work, though humble, is imbued with divine grace and serves the welfare of society, particularly in the ongoing fight against the pestilence.

• Preface, (1609), Raymund Minderer to the Reader

• Dedication, 1 March 1616, Raymund Minderer to Georg Fugger in Kirchberg und Weißenhorn, Johannes Fugger, Hieronymus Fugger and Maximilian Fugger; Latin

• Preface, (1616), Raymund Minderer to the Reader; Latin

• Dedication, 1617, Raymund Minderer to Johannes Faber; Latin

• Preface, 1617, Raymund Minderer to the Reader; Latin

• Preface, (1619), Raymund Minderer to the Reader; Latin

• Dedication, 25 November 1619, Raymund Minderer to Ernst Graf von Oettingen-Wallerstein and Johann Albert Graf von Oettingen-Wallerstein; Latin

• Preface, (1619), Raymund Minderer to the Reader; Latin

• Dedication, (1620), Raymund Minderer to Otto Heinrich Fugger; German

• Preface, (1620), Raymund Minderer to the Reader; German

Poems

• Poem, no date (1591), Raymund Minderer to Caspar Bulling; Latin (Source: VD16 G 3208)

This epigram uses gardening as a metaphor for intellectual cultivation. It addresses Caspar, urging him to clear away obstacles, such as ignorance or distractions, much like a gardener removes weeds and thorns to nurture a flourishing garden. By studying various arts and gaining knowledge, Caspar is likened to a gardener tending to the "garden of Wisdom," making his mind as beautiful and fertile as the natural world. The work emphasizes that through learning and understanding, the mind can grow and take on all forms, mirroring the richness of nature.

• Poem, no date (1593), Raymund Minderer to Johann Balthasar Hager; Latin (Source: VD16 H 181)

This ode praises Hager's scholarly achievements and defense of his metallurgical assertions. It contrasts the pursuits of ordinary people—who seek material wealth by extracting metals from the earth—with Hager's nobler intellectual endeavors. Minderer emphasizes that true virtue lies in understanding the natural causes behind metal formation rather than amassing worldly riches. He commends Hager’s pursuit of knowledge, symbolized by the laurels of academic achievement, as a way to elevate oneself above common pursuits and gain recognition among scholars and the nobility, urging him to continue striving for intellectual greatness.

• Poem, 1613, Raymund Minderer to Carl Stengel

• Poem, 1615, Raymund Minderer to Samuel Walther

• Poem, 1615, Raymund Minderer to Georg Wonna

• Poem, (1624), Raymund Minderer to Johann Bayer; German