DEVILISH INGRATITUDE

Meneses, Sebastião César de: Sugillatio Ingratitudinis. Authore Sebastiano Caesare e Menesez Archiepiscopo Ulyssiponensi a Supremo de Statu Regni et Sacrosanctae Inquisitionis Consilio, &c. [n.pl.] [c.1656-1672].

First edition - in contemporary Portuguese binding - of this study of ingratitude by the Portuguese prelate, statesman and political philosopher Sebastião César de Meneses (1600-1672), who became Portuguese inquisitor general and ambassador to France. The first chapter concerns satanic ingratitude. The author continues by finding examples of ingratitude in the Hebrew Bible, frequently drawing political lessons. The last part is on Christian love. The author's most famous work was called Summa Politica (1649).

Details

One volume, 24 cms. x 19.5 cms. in binding, quarto, pp. [50] 422 [50]. With blank leaf at end of prelims. Intaglio title-page comprising text within a scrolled frame with putti and vegetation and shell motifs, arms of author above. Second leaf recto with large intaglio armorial of dedicatee King Alfonso VI. Roman and italic letter, woodcut tailpiece, woodcut initials. Light or medium browning, some spotting and staining, occasional small tears to blank margins, and a small touch of worming in blank of last two leaves. Bound in contemporary sheep, filletted and tooled in blind, spine with three raised bands, gilt decoration and title. Binding rubbed, slightly worn, some loss of surface to leather, cracking to spine and joint, the odd wormhole. First endpaper removed (final one still in place).

Provenance

Inscription to title-page of Carmelite college of Coimbra ("Livr. de Coll. de Carm. de Coimbra"), with one shelfmark (F2) crossed out and another (A3) written in. Old paper shelf labels to spine. Purple ink stamp to front pastedown (defaced). 

Bibliography

Barbosa Machado III 683 (see 682 for biography). This title not in Inocencio. OCLC shows copies in North America at University of Toronto and Sutro Library.