Iosepho de Iusticis - An et Quando Libri ... - 1598

The Subtle Art of Writing Without Getting Burned at the Stake
This work, printed in Venice in 1598 by Damiano Zenaro, represents a rare example of late-Renaissance political and legal treatise, dedicated to King Philip II of the House of Habsburg. The author, Iosepho de Iusticis, patrician of Aquila, addresses the question of the conditions under which books may or may not be considered subversive or forbidden, placing himself within the heated debate of the Counter-Reformation and ecclesiastical censorship. The dedication to the powerful Spanish monarch, then ruler of vast European and colonial territories, reveals the political aim of tying legal and moral knowledge to the authority of the Catholic sovereign. The work presents itself as a significant document of the tension between intellectual freedom and control of knowledge typical of the late 16th century.
Market value
Italian legal-political pamphlets from the late sixteenth century are very rare on the antiquarian market. Similar specimens appear only occasionally and can fetch prices ranging from €1,000 to €2,000, with higher figures for well-preserved copies, complete and in first binding.

Physical description and condition
Contemporary binding in stiff cardboard. Title page printed in red and black, with a large typographic mark stamped in the center. Some signs of wear and slight foxing. Pp. (2); 40 nn; 338.

Full title and author
Whether, and when, books placed in that condition are called, a treatise addressed to the most mighty and invincible King Philip II of Austria.
Venice, from the workshop of Damiani Zenari, 1598.
Iosepho of Justice.

Context and Significance
The text belongs to the legal-political literature of the Counter-Reformation and addresses questions of censorship and the legitimacy of intellectual sources. The dedication to Philip II, universal monarch of Catholicism and central figure in European politics, places the work in a context of loyalty and homage to the Spanish monarchy. The reflection on books and legal consilia refers to the problem of ecclesiastical control over knowledge and to the role of jurists in the Catholic Restoration era. Printed in Venice, the nerve center of the book trade, the text highlights the role of Italian typography in disseminating writings linked to the major religious and political debates of the time.

Biography of the Author
Iosepho de Iusticis, Patrician of L'Aquila, was a jurist and man of letters in the second half of the sixteenth century. Although biographical data are scarce, his activity falls within the tradition of the legal forum and humanist jurisprudence. His name remains mainly linked to this treatise, a significant example of the tension between law, politics, and faith.

Printing history and circulation
Printed by Damiano Zenaro in Venice in 1598, the pamphlet probably had a limited circulation, intended for a learned audience of jurists, theologians, and public officials. Zenaro's printing house was distinguished by the production of erudite and specialized texts. Given its casual and highly circumscribed nature, the work is today of extreme rarity and is absent from many European libraries.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
EDIT16, entry (to be checked for the date 1598)
U. Baldini, Book Censorship in the Counter-Reformation, Florence, 1994
J. H. Elliott, Imperial Spain 1469–1716, London, 1963
S. Cavallo, Venetian typography in the late sixteenth century, Venice, 2001
ICC (Italian Collective Catalogue), entry: Iosepho de Iusticis, An et quando libri…, 1598