Pozzo, Libro de re militari, [Naples, 1477-1478], later vellum

POZZO, PARIDE DAL

De re militari et de duello [Italian] Libro de re militari. [Naples]: Sixtus Riessinger, [1477-1478]

Chancery folio (286 x 209mm.), 134 leaves (of 140), [a-e⁸ f⁴ g-i⁸ k¹⁰; l⁸ m⁶ n-s⁸], 36 lines, roman type, initials supplied in red and blue, eighteenth-century vellum, lacking 6 leaves (initial blank leaf, 3 text leaves, register and final blank), [o7] torn with loss at upper corner (just touching text), light damp-staining and foxing, a few small wormholes, spine defective

THE FIRST SYSTEMATIC TREATISE ON DUELLING written by the Neapolitan jurist Paride dal Pozzo (1410-1493). He worked for the Aragonese court in Naples and considered duelling as central to chivalric codes of behaviour, for which he needed to justify the legitimacy of war itself. This led to a systematisation of both technical and cultural issues with the practice of duelling, which was of great influence across Europe. However, duelling was condemned by the Council of Trent which led to this work being included in the Index of books to be expurgated.

One of dal Pozzo's innovations was the use of the language of duelling, which in this edition is in the vernacular. The treatise was also published in Latin by Riessinger, the first printer in Naples, at about the same time (dated in ISTC to [1476-1477]).

A TALL COPY with deckle edges and remains of some manuscript quiring. RARE: WE HAVE FOUND NO AUCTION RECORDS FOR THIS EDITION.

LITERATURE:

ISTC ip01140200 (listing 10 copies)

PROVENANCE:

Hyacinthus Durazzo (from the Genoese family?), inscription at foot of first leaf; presentation inscription from Ignacio Pizarro de Morais Sarmento (1807-1870, Portuguese poet and statesman) to Chevalier [--], dated Lisbon, 2 August 1841