Libro primo [-terzo] delle lettere [...] Tradotto dal S. Domenico di Catzelu

8vo. Three parts in two volumes. I: [8], 244 leaves. Collation: *⁸, A-Z⁸, Aa-Gg⁸; II: [8], 278 leaves. Collation: ab⁸, A-Z⁸, Aa-Ll⁸, Mm⁴; III: 72 leaves. Collation: A-I⁸. With the printer's device on the title-pages and at the end. 18^th-century vellum over boards, spines with morocco label and gilt lettering.

First edition of the first three books of Guevara's letters published together. Giolito de' Ferrari was the first in Italy to publish the first two books of letters, as well as many other works by Guevara. But for the third book he was preceded by Vincenzo Valgrisi who in 1557 issued it in an Italian translation by Alfonso Ulloa, dedicated to Sforza Pallavicino. In 1559 Valgrisi republished the work with some additions and a new dedication to Isabella Gonzaga d'Avalos. Since the ten year privilege granted to Valgrisi had not yet expired in 1560 unlike that of Giolito, Francesco Sansovino issued the third book without dedication and without mentioning the name of Ulloa. For the text of the first two books, Sansovino used one of the many earlier editions by Giolito (for the letters of the first two books see in our stock Libro primo [-secondo], Venice, Giolito, 1555-1548).

(Book I:)

Manrique, Alfonso, Archbishop of Sevilla, and Manrique, Antonio, Earl of Nájera. (p. 37)

Velasco, Iñigo de, Constable of Castilla. Vittoria, January 13, 1522 (p. 48)

Zuñiga, Antonio de. Medina de Rioseco, February 18, 1522 (p. 54)

[Zuñiga y Avellaneda, Francisco de], Earl of Miranda. Madrid, June 10, 1536 [recte 1526] (p. 59)

Giron, Pedro. Burgos, September 15, 1523 (p. 68)

Velasco, Iñigo de, Constable of Castilla. Valladolid, October 8, 1525 (p. 74)

[Avalos, Fernando Francesco d'], Marquis of Pescara. Valladolid, August 19, 1524 (p. 82)

Albornoz, Alonso de. Medina del Campo, March 22 [recte 12], 1523 (p. 90)

Cordoba, Gonzalo Fernandez de. Medina del Campo, January 8, 1512 (p. 95)

Enriquez, Enrique. Medina del Campo, June 5, 1537 [recte 1522] (p. 104)

Cueva, Antonio de la. Toledo, June 30, 1525 (p. 108)

Benavides, Juan de. Soria, March 4, 1518 (p. 113)

[Fajardo y Chacón, Pedro], Marquis de los Velez. Medina del Campo, January [recte July] 18, 1532 (p. 119)

[Avellaneda, Diego de], Bishop of Tui. Granada, May 12, 1531 (p. 125)

Guardian of Alcalà. Madrid, January 8, 1523 [recte 1524] (p. 129)

Camiña, Diego de. Valladolid, October 26, 1520 (p. 134)

Mendoza, Juan de. Toledo, April 6, 1523 (p. 138)

Vique, Hieronymo. Granada, July 20, 1525 (p. 145)

id. Toledo, April 3, 1526 (p. 150)

Palamos, Juan de (p. 153)

Toledo, Fadrique de, Duke of Alba. Burgos, October 15, 1524 (p. 158)

Acuña, Pedro de, Earl of Buondia. Madrid, January 18, 1535 (p. 162)

Manrique, Iñigo de. Toledo, August 22 [recte 25], 1529 (p. 166)

Acuña, Pedro de, Earl of Buondia. Valladolid, November 3, n.y. (p. 179)

Enriquez, Fadrique. Madrid, October 15, 1529 (p. 197)

id. Madrid, November 11, 1528 (p. 202)

Abbot of Monserrat. Valladolid, January 7, 1535 (p. 206)

Enriquez, Fadrique. Madrid, March 25, 1529 [?] (p. 211)

Bravo, Luis. Toledo, August 9 [recte 7], 1529 (p. 216)

id. Burgos, February 24, 1523 (p. 123, i.e. 223)

Guevara, Diego de. Madrid, March 2 [recte 11], 1533 (p. 232)

Gil, Gonzalo. Medina de Rioseco, January 22, 1523 (p. 238)

Abbot of San Pedro de Cardeña. Madrid, March 2, 1523 [recte March 12, 1522] (p. 242)

Manso, President of Valladolid. Toledo, August 22 [recte 20], 1532 [recte 1522] (p. 245)

Pimentel, Alonso, Earl of Benavente. Toledo, December 12, 1526 (p. 249)

Velasco, Iñigo de. Valladolid, August 8, 1526 (p. 265)

id. Madrid, January 6, 1524 (p. 267)

Fonseca, Alfonso de, Bishop of Burgos. Segovia, May 22 [recte 12], 1523 (p. 271)

Rubín, Mosén. Madrid, March 3, 1526 [recte 1527] (p. 280)

to a secret friend (p. 286)

Suares, Alonso, Governor of Murcia. Granda, December 4, 1531 (p. 291)

Melgar, [Pedro Hernández de]. Madrid, December 27, 1525 (p. 297)

Puche, Mosén. Granada, May 4, 1524 (p. 319)

Toledo, Fadrique de, Earl of Alba. Madrid, January 14, 1526 (p. 353)

Coronel, [?]. Medina, Mai 8, 1523 (p. 359)

Perelloso, Juan. Burgos, January 30, 1523 (p 362)

Toledo, Hernando de. Burgos, March 7, 1523 (p. 365)

Rubín, Mosén. Granada, February 12, 1526 (p. 371)

Angulo Commendator. Logroño, August 11, 1523 (p. 376)

Giron, Pedro. Valladolid [España], April 16, 1524 (p. 384)

Enriquez, Enrique. Granada, May 16, 1531 [recte 1522] (p. 402)

Portugal, Fadrique de, Archbishop of Saragoza. (p. 417)

Fadrique, Almirante. Valladolid, March 30, 1531 [recte 1534] (p. 426)

Tamayo, [Juan?], Governor. Arévalo, November 11, 1522 (p. 439)

Hinestrosa Sarmiento, Alcaide. Burgos, 1534 (p. 442)

Osorio, Iñigo (p. 446)

Cerezeda, Captain. Valladolid, May 6, 1522 (p. 449)

(Book II:)

Mendoza, Francisco de, Bishop of Palencia. Avila, November 22, 1523 [recte 1533] (l. 28v)

Sunyer, [Juan]. Palencia, October 11, 1528 (l. 100r)

Bracamonte, Alonso de. [Palencia, February 8, 1522] (l. 105v)

Biamonte, Juan de. [Burgos, May 8, 1530] (l. 138r)

Morejon, Rodrigo. Palencia, December 9, 1523 [recte 1524] (l. 143r)

Vega, Garcisanchez de la (l. 146r)

Manrique, Alonso. Madrid, August 12, 1527 (l. 148r)

Guevara, Francisca de. Burgos, January 3, 1519 (l. 154v)

Aguilera, Comendador. [Arevalo, May 6, 1523] (l. 160v)

to a Neapolitan Jewish. Roma, March 25, 1537 (l. 162r)

Manrique, Francisco. Avila, January 8, 1527 (l. 166v)

Enriquez, Rodrigo. Avila, August 30, 1527 [recte 1528] (l. 171r)

Cueva, Beltran de la, Earl of Alburquerque. Valladolid, January 26, 1540 [recte 1511] (l. 184r)

to a secret friend. Beniarjo, May 22, 1544 [recte 1524] (l. 218r)

[Espinel], Alonso, Corregidor de Oviedo. Valencia, February 12, 1524 (l. 222r)

[Merino, Esteban Gabriel], Archbishop of Bari. Granada, October 11, 1522 (l. 231v)

to the author's niece. Burgos, February 8, 1524 (l. 235r)

[Heinrich III], Earl of Nassau and Marquis of Cenete. Toledo, January 7, 1528 [recte 1533] (l. 244r)

Tello, Nuño. Logroño, May 3, 1526 (l. 250v)

Messer Pere Pollastre. Zaragoza, October 6, 1529 (l. 253v)

[Lerma, Pedro de], Abbot of Compludo. Pincia, May 12, 1512 (l. 259r)

The following 7 letters present in the first book of the Spanish edition are inexplicably omitted in the Italian version:

[Manso, Pedro González], Bishop of Badajoz (Valladolid, April 20, 1526)

Velasco, Iñigo de. N.pl., n.d.

id. (Madrid, May 12, 1524)

Acuña, Antonio de, Bishop of Zamora (Medina de Rioseco, December 20, 1521)

id. (Tordesillas, March 10, 1522)

Padilla, Juan de (Medina del Campo, March 8, 1521)

Padilla, Maria de (Medina de Rioseco, January 16, 1522)

(Book III:)

Manrique, Garcia (l. 2r)

Lopez, Pedro (l. 10v)

Vasquez, Gonzalo (l. 17v)

Melendez, Francisco (l. 26r)

Cobos, Francisco de. Valladolid, June 25, 1539 (l. 33v)

Allons, Alvaro (l. 59v)

Manrique, Iñigo de (l. 66r)

Antonio de Guevara was the major prose writer of sixteenth century Spain. The enormous success of his works, made him the first Spanish writer to achieve a status comparable to that of the great authors of antiquity. He was born around 1481 in the city of Treceño and moved in 1492 to the royal court, where he stayed until the mid 1510s. Around 1506 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1521 Charles V summoned him to serve as preacher in the royal chapel, a post that he occupied, however, only two years later. In 1525 and 1526 he was sent to Valencia and Granada as a commissioner of the Inquisition to evangelize the Islamic population. As a reward, the emperor appointed him royal chronicler.

In 1528 Guevara wrote the Libro aureo de Marco Aurelio, followed a year later by the Libro llamado Relox de principes, a reworking of the previous book, both of which became two of the most frequently published works in Europe. In 1529 he was elected bishop of Guadix, and in 1537 bishop of Mondoñedo. Three years later, probably because he felt uncomfortable, he asked for a different position in Valladolid, which, however, was denied to him. His disappointment is clearly manifest in his last works, including the second book of letters, which became more spiritual and ascetic. He died in 1545, while he was finishing La segunda parte del libro llamado Monte Calvario. By that time he had gained international renown and his writing where widely read and imitated all over Europe (cf. E. Grey, Guevara, A forgotten Renaissance Author, The Hague, 1973 passim; see also J.R. Jones, Antonio de Guevara, Boston, 1975, passim; and A. Redondo, Antonio de Guevara (1480?-1545) et l'Espagne de son temps. De la carrière officielle aux oeuvres politico-morales, Genève, 1976, passim).