The Spanish Inquisition, a selection of books, broadsides and ephemera 1- Rare Spanish incunable: a manual for the Inquisitor, and one of the rare copies preserving a leaf in Spanish describing the writes and costumes of the Jews [Inquisition] [Spanish incunable] [Miquel Albert (editor)]. Repertorium de pravitate haereticorum. 16 Sept, 1494. Valencia. [Lambert Palmart for Miguel Albert]. Folio, (293 x 207 mm). 296 [of 302] ff., including the almost never-present leave D3, censored by the Inquisition; missing the first quire [a6], which is supplied by a manuscript copy in 16th century Spanish hand. Near contemporary Spanish limp vellum, spine with paper label, partially gone. 25,000 $ First edition, exceedingly rare, of this important book; this is the first Spanish printed manual on Inquisition, including a very rare description of the daily life of the Hebrew Spanish families in the Middle Ages. It describes the rites and customs of the Jewish community so that the inquisitor could recognize and denounce them. The whole book deals with the Jewish question, because, as explained by Benzion Netanyahu in 1995 (The origins of the Inquisition. In fifteenth Century Spain, chapter I), the main interest of the early Inquisition (re-started in 1480) was “to seek and punish converts of Judaism who transgressed against Christianity by secretly adhering to Jewish beliefs and performing Jewish rites and ceremonies”. It was not the Jews themselves who were targeted at the beginning, as they were separated from the Catholic communities, it was the conversos who posted a threat to the faith and at the same time a solution to the internal problems of Spain -a sort of scape goat, a portion of society who could be blamed for the troubled realm. WWW.HSRAREBOOKS.COM San1 Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 1 San Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] The censor deemed inadmissible such a detailed presence of the Jewish ceremonies in a Spanish book and decreed that sheet D3 should be removed and the first nine lines of D4 cancelled in all extant copies. According to Reichling's note, the censor suppressed D3, however it is present in this copy. The anonymous writer of this preface, and of the entire work, mentions the editorial contribution of Michael Albert of Valence. The only copy to have sold at auction according to RBH, the Andre de Coppet copy’s description (Sotheby’s, 1955, lot 622) claims: “without the leaf D3 which was suppressed in all copies” In fact, most of the copies preserved now in Spanish public libraries are lacking this leaf, including the 3 copies in the Biblioteca Nacional de Madrid. This is instead a very rare copy with leaf D3 present and the first 9 lines of D4 uncensored, like the copy held at the University of Pennsylvania Library, formerly in the library of the great scholar and expert in Spanish Inquisition Henry Charles Lea. - M. A. Angelino Pardo, «El Repertorium perutile de pravitate haereticorum et apostatarum de Miquel Albert en la tradición de la manualística inquisitorial medieval», Latinidad medieval hispánica, Juan Francisco Mesa Sanz (ed.), 2017, pages 319-327. - L. Sala-Molins, Le dictionnaire des inquisiteurs (a modern French edition of the Repertorium Inquisitorium, Valencia, 1494); Paris, Editions Galilée, 1980. - B. Netanyahu, Los orígines de la Inquisición, Barcelona, Crítica, 1999. 2- Official manuscript by the Inquisition appointing an Inquisitor to Valladolid [Inquisition]. Nos los Inquisidores contra la heretica pravedad y apoftafia de los Reynos de Castilla Leon y Galizia, con el Principado de Asturias que refidimos en la muy noble villa de Vallid… en el lugar de Galates tierra de Alva de Tormes donde conviene que nos tengamos personas a quien las encomendar y cometer por ende confiando de vos Simon de Cabezuela vezino del dicho lugar por ser como soys persona de toda confianza y en quien con corren las calidades que se requieren y que con toda solizitud y secreto hareys… en las cosas tocantes al Sancto Oficio de las Sancta Inquisicion y exercicio del vos nombramos y criamos por familiar desde Sancto Oficio… 8 October, 1562. Valladolid. (222 x 285 mm). 1 ff. Manuscript on vellum, small loss at fold –about an inch-, some damp to right third, else very good. 3,000 $ An official appointment by the Inquisition of a “familiar”, granted to Simon de Cabezuela, neighbor of Gajates, Alba de Tormes (Salamanca); the manuscript is WWW.HSRAREBOOKS.COM San2 Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 2 San Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] made on vellum in black ink, with the formula “NOS LOS INQUISIDORES” in gold letters over red. The document is signed by Lorenzo G Roa, secretary of the Holy Office, and two Inquisitors of Valladolid, although the writing is hard to read, it seems like Pollicendo Igrigenio(?) and Edardo Riego(?). In the document various relevant issues about the appointment are carefully expressed, such as the right to carry “antiofensivas” weapons (or weapons to repel attacks) both publicly or concealed, a ban from being embargoed, etc. 3- The Inquisition is granted powers and protection in America [Inquisition] Pio V (Pope, 1566-1572). Constitución de Nuestro Santíssimo Señor Pio Papa V contra los que ofenden el estado, bienes, y personas del Santo Officio de la Inquisicion, contra la heretica pravedad, y apostasia. [April, 1569]. [S.l.]. Broadside (422 x 310 mm). Light damp staining, but overall fine. 16,000 $ Extrmely rare Papal broadside, a Spanish translation of the bull “Si de protegendis”, a Papal defense of the Inquisition, condeming any person who interferes with the Inquisidors. This Bull effectively garnished the ministers of the Inquisition with the highest authority, cloaking them with protection from the Church, and thus from civil authorities. The Bull extended to all Spanish WWW.HSRAREBOOKS.COM San3 Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 3 San Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] dominions, which included New Spain, where it had considerable effect, a year later Ocharte would publish the same in Mexico City. The Bull was published in Latin in Rome –thus we assume this was also published in Rome-, and shortly later in Mexico (1570, by Ocharte). All of these are extremely rare, of this printing we can only trace a single copy, at the University of Notre Dame, McDevitt Collection on the Spanish Inquisition “asserting papal protection of inquisitorial witnesses and recognition of rights pertaining to familiars and officials” (University of Notre Dame). The broadside was possibly printed in Rome. Text signed by “F. Cardenal de Pisa, Obispo de Hostia ... [et al.]", officers of the Cancilleria Apostolica; the text begins saying: "Pio Obispo, sieruo de los sieruos de Dios, para perpetua memoria. Si està a nuestro cargo tener cada dia cuydado de amparar a todos los demas Ministros de la Iglesia, que en nuestra Fe y guarda auemos recebido del Señor” Not in Palau; Wilkinson Iberian Books 5689 cites only one copy in Notre Dame University Library. Not in Van der Vekene. WWW.HSRAREBOOKS.COM San4 Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 4 San Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 4- The Spanish Inquisitorial process outlined, a fundamental source book [Inquisition] Garcia, Pablo. Orden que comunmente se guarda en el Santo Oficio de la Inquisicioń acerca del processar en las causas que en el se tratan. 1622. Madrid. Luis Sanchez. 4to (212 x 162 mm). 1 [blank], 1 ff., 78 ff., 1 [blank]. Contemporary vellum, spine lettered in ink. 4,200 $ Early edition of this important guide compiled by the Secretary of the Council of the Spanish Inquisition, providing the exact formulae to be used in cases tried by the Inquisition feared both in the Peninsula and the American territories, where it had jurisdiction since the mid 16th century. A fundamental work for the understanding of the judicial process of the Inquisition: the Inquisitors were obliged to record in writing the proceedings, the torture applied, remarks and comments of the people under questioning, their clothing and other possessions, etc. It is in fact a demystifying book, as it outlines the procedures in careful detail, breaking so to speak the common understanding of how the inquisitorial process happened; in fact, it was a far less cruel process that it’s Roman counterpart, torture could only be applied in very specific cases, when other methods had been exhausted, no serious or irreversible damaged could be caused, a doctor needed to be present to oversee it, no women or child could be subject to torture, etc. So systematic and organized, that even a maximum of time was imposed. The institution was given jurisdiction and form in the late 15th century partly in response for the need of creating solid institutions with undisputable power, it was given a structure, which hadn’t been the case before; and was in part aimed at looking into the conversos. The work was vastly reproduced in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, as it remained the standard manual for inquisitorial use. Provenance: title page with. Ownership inscription “Libreria de la Paciencia Capuchinos”; stamp on title “Exbibliotheca Capuccinorum Patientiae XPI Matrit.” WWW.HSRAREBOOKS.COM San5 Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 5 San Martin de Tours 3190, Capital Federal - (CP 1425) Argentina / (+54) 911 5512 7770 / [email protected] 5- The Spanish Inquisitorial process outlined, a fundamental source book, revised edition by the Inquisitor General of Spain [Inquisition].