A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PONTIFICAL LAW AND THE CAESARS' LAW, WITH THE EXPLANATION OF LAW CASES APPLICABLE TO CLERGY, BISHOPS, EMPERORS, KINGS AND OTHERS

Alvarez Guerrero, Alfonso. Iuris pontificii cæsareique speculum. Vbi præter luculentam i.v. locorum explicationem, ea etiam, quibus sacri Sum. Rom. Pontifices, Imperatores, Reges, & sanctiss. Episcopi, pie, ac religiose munia obire possint, splendide, accurateque ita enodantur, vt nihil accommodatius, nihilque vtilius iurisprudentia studiosis adferri possit. [...] Auctore clariss. ac præstan. I.V.D.D. Alphonso Aluarez Guerrero, [...]. Neapoli: apud Horatium Saluianum, 1571.

Folio, 305x208 mm; contemporary full vellum binding, with calligraphic title at a flat spine; pp. [56], DLXCVI [=596, with many errors in page numbering; here missing the last 2 pp.]; title page in black types, with engraved coat of arms of the dedicatee (King Philip II of Spain). Xil. head-letters (the first one is very large, 55x55 mm, and preciously decorated) ; printer woodcut at colophon [here missing]. Text in Latin.

Alonso Álvarez Guerrero (c. 1502- 1576), Spanish jurist, theologian and poet of the Renaissance; he was also Bishop of Monopoli (Bari) and royal adviser of King Philip II in Naples.

Philip II (Spanish: Felipe II «el Prudente»; 1527-1598) was King of Spain from 1556 and of Portugal from 1581 (as Philip I, Felipe I). From 1554 he was King of Naples and Sicily as well as Duke of Milan.

Provenance: Handwritten ownership inscriptions (not identified and deleted) at title page. Text underlines and many handwritten marginal annotations.

References: IT\ICCU\RMLE\001844 and IT\ICCU\BVEE\000508. CNCE 22137. OCLC, 804489192.

Traces of use to the binding. Diffuse browning and stark water-stains; presence of many worm-holes, occasional spots and soling. Incomplete work (missing the last two pp. with the colophon). A modest copy, lot not subject to return.