Johann Jacob Grasser

Johann Jacob Grasser (24 February 1579 – 20 March 1627) was a scholar and polyhistor of Basel. He studied theology and was active as a poet, in the sciences and in geography. He was Magister Artium and Poeta laureatus in Basel in 1601. He travelled across Switzerland and in Europe during 1603 to 1608. When he was in Nîmes, he wrote a treatise on the Roman antiquities there which was reprinted several times. In 1607, he was given the title of Count Palatine by the Imperial Commissioner in Padua, from which time he styled himself as Ioannes Iacobus Grasserus, Civis Romanus, Comes Palatinus. He was pastor in Bennwil and Hölstein during 1610 to 1612, and sacristan at St. Theodore church in Basel during 1612 to 1627. He published various editions and translations, besides his own works of moderate Calvinist theology, historiography and travel literature. His 1624 Swiss Heldenbuch is without historiographical value but noted for its social criticism. 1607 (on the Roman antiquities at Nîmes) De antiquitatibus Nemausensibus dissertatio repeatedly reprinted, in 1614 with some of Grasser's poetry, Poëmata: accessit De antiquitatibus Nemausensibus dissertatio 1610 (travel literature) Newe und volkommne Italianische Frantzösische und Englische Schatzkamer: Das ist: Wahrhaffte und eigendtliche Beschreibung aller Stätten in Italia Sicilia Sardinia Corsica Franckreich Engelland und darumb ligenden Provintzen: wie auch der denckwürdigsten Sachen so sich daselbsten jemahln zugetragen 1618 (theology) Speculum theologiae mysticae. Sive Dissertationes, et meditationes allegoricae: quibus pleraque vtriusque testamenti mysteria, ex ipsis sacris literis, patribus, aliisque tam modernis, quam veteribus doctoribus varios in usus explicantur & illustrantur 1618 (pamphlet) Petri Calvi tridentini jur. utriusq. doct. oratio renuntiatoria, Basileae 1619 (pamphlet on the Great Comet of 1618) Christliches Bedencken vber den Erschrockenlichen Cometen, So verschienen Novemb. Vnd Decemb. Ann. 1618 (1664 ed.