Catholic Church, Sacrarum cerimoniarum... libri tres, Venice, 1516, later vellum

Catholic Church

Sacrarum cerimoniarum Romanae Ecclesiae libri tres non ante impressi. (Venice: Gregorio de' Gregorii, 21 September 1516)

folio (308 x 213mm.), a different woodcut illustration of the Pope surrounded by cardinals at start each book, with final blank leaf, later vellum, tan morocco lettering-piece

A clean and crisp copy. The publication of this work was problematic; Cristoforo Marcello, the archbishop of Corfu, had it printed in Venice but without the knowledge of the Vatican master of ceremonies, who attempted to have it suppressed, partly on the grounds of plagiarism as it was mostly the work of Agostino Patrizi Piccolomini, and partly for the exposure of Vatican secrets. Marcello was able to proceed with the publication after a Vatican enquiry.

This background may explain the fact that this copy has a variant title-page and we have only been able to trace one other copy like this, in Bern University Library. Edit16 records numerous copies with the title Rituum Ecclesiasticum, and with different text on the verso of the title-page, but otherwise identical to this edition. The verso of the title-page here has a dedicatory letter to Leo X by Cristoforo Marcello, rather than the privilege granted by Leo X (dated 17 December 1516, some three months after the date in the colophon) which appears on the back of the Rituum title-page.

The text describes the duties of the Pope, cardinals and prelates and the ceremonies relating to their offices.

LITERATURE:

cf. Edit16 11928 (with the title starting Rituum Ecclesiaticum); Sander 5662