Leçons catholiques sur les doctrines de l'église
Very anti-Calvinist first edition of the works of the Cordelier who dared to preach the massacre of St. Bartholomew at the court of Catherine de Medici.
Precious and superb copy bound in contemporary fanfare-style morocco, bearing the arms and emblems of King Henry III.
From the library of Edouard Rahir.
Octavo, (24) ff., 605 pp.
Olive morocco, covers and spine completely decorated with a fanfare design, coats of arms, symbols, fleurs-de-lis, skull, and the inscription “Spes Mea Deus” gilt-stamped, gilt fillet on board edges, gilt edges, ruled copy, waterstains. Contemporary binding with the arms of King Henry III.
171 x 100 mm.
Panigarole, François (1551-1589). Catholic Lessons on the Doctrines of the Church. Divided into Three Parts. 1. The first prepares the arms to fight the heretics. 2. The second, to harm them. 3. The third, to defend oneself against them. Delivered in Turin in the year 1582 by command and in the presence of Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy & Prince of Piedmont, by François Panigarole of Milan, of the Observant Order. Translated from Italian into French by Gabriel Chappuys.
Lyon, Jean Stratius, at the Golden Bible, 1585.
The copy bound for King Henry III (1574-1589) of the works of the Cordelier who preached the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre at the court of King Charles IX (1560-1574).
The volume is a violent and bold diatribe against Calvin and his doctrine.
“In 1571, François Panigarole went to complete his theological studies in Paris. He preached the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre before Catherine de’ Medici. After these dramatic events, which he had wished for, he had to leave France.”
“After stopping in Lyon and Antwerp, he returned to Italy in 1573 and taught theology for the following years in various monasteries of his order. His sermons, in the view of Tiraboschi, display one of the most vivid imaginations, great strength of feeling, an energetic and solemn style, albeit a little redundant, and earned him the well-deserved reputation of being the most eloquent orator among his contemporaries and countrymen. After spending two years with Saint Charles Borromeo, who esteemed him greatly, he was promoted in 1587 to the bishopric of Asti. Two years later, he was sent to Paris to support the League by his eloquence.”
Precious and beautiful copy, ruled, from the library of Edouard Rahir with ex-libris, dedicated to Pierre de Gondy, Bishop of Paris, adorned in a most elegant period binding decorated with a fanfare design bearing the arms and emblems of King Henry III.
It was executed for the king and given by him to a penitent, member of the Court, belonging to a confraternity of the Good Death founded by the king.
Guigard tells us that King Henry III (1551-1589) used several heraldic stamps, including the famous skull present here on the spine of the volume. This gloomy symbol refers to the death of the Princess of Cleves, of whom he was madly in love. Henry III felt such sorrow that for a long time he almost shut himself away in his palace.
“When he was obliged to appear in public,” says Father Mathieu, his historian, “he showed himself in the deepest mourning, covered with insignias and small skulls. They were on the ribbons of his shoes, on his aiguillettes, and he ordered Souvray to make for him cuffs of this kind for 6,000 écus.”
Precious volume, one of the rarest anti-Protestant copies uniting Catherine de’ Medici, Charles IX, Henry III, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, and a remarkable fanfare binding with the king’s arms and emblems.
