Francisco Toledo / Martino Fornari / Andreas Victorelli - De instructione sacerdotum et de peccatis mortalibus - 1611

Ancient Latin religious book, printed in Lyon in 1611 by Horace Cardon. Work by Franciscus Toletus, entitled De Instructione Sacerdotum et Peccatis Mortalibus, in eight books, with the supplementary treatise by Martino Fornari as well as the numerous annotations and additions by Andreas Victorelli (with their respective indexes).

This treatise of moral theology was primarily intended for the formation of priests and confessors. It deals in particular with confession, absolution, mortal sins, cases of conscience, the duties of the priest, the sacraments, penance and various questions of canon law and Christian morality. The work also includes commentaries, theological references and indexes designed to facilitate consultation.

First published in 1598 in the wake of the Council of Trent (it then comprised 7 books), the work of Cardinal Franciscus Toletus (Francisco de Toledo) underwent numerous reissues across Europe (Rome, Cologne, Constance, Venice). It served as a standard tool for training the clergy in the rigorous and uniform practice of confession and Catholic moral doctrine. Only Horace CARDON, a Lyon bookseller, held the royal privilege from 1609 to 1619 for the printing and publication of this book in the Kingdom of France (see photo 11). This 1611 reissue is the first edition to incorporate Martino Fornari’s treatise on the Sacrament of Order as well as a new alphabetical index.

Horace Cardon put his presses on rue Mercière in Lyon at the service of the Catholic Church to combat the influence of Protestantism. It is he who ensured the printing and republication of numerous major works written by renowned Jesuit authors.

Firm octavo (16.5 cm x 11 cm), contemporary leather binding, spine with four raised bands, 1371 pages
- 1 title page adorned with an allegorical frontispiece engraved by Jacques de Fornazeris (signature noted at the bottom left of the frontispiece) (see photos 5 and 6)
- 8 pages at the end of the index of the 8 books of Franciscus Toletus and of Martino Fornari’s treatise on the Sacrament of Order, placed here by the binder by mistake (the start of this index is placed just before the first page of the 8 books) (see photos 7 and 8)
- 4 pages of the dedicatory letter addressed to the King’s counselor Antoine Emmanuel Chalom in which the printer Horace Cardon explains why he printed this new corrected and enriched edition (see photos 8 and 9)
- 3 pages addressed to readers explaining the reasons and the novelties and additions of this new edition (see photo 9)
- 3 pages of approvals and the privilege granted until 1619 to the sole Horace CARDON, Lyon bookseller for printing and publication of this book in the Kingdom of France (see photos 10 and 11)
- 4 pages at the beginning of the index of the books (recall: the end of this index is placed by error after the title page) (see photos 11 and 12)
- Follow over 985 pages the 8 books of Franciscus Toletus
book 1: what a priest is and why he is called thus (see photo 12)
book 2: the 3 functions of the priest (see photo 15)
book 3: penance (see photo 17)
book 4: what faith is and what its matter is (see photo 19)
book 5: the fourth commandment of the decalogue, honor your parents (see photo 21)
book 6: on the precepts of the Church (see photo 24)
book 7: sacraments of extreme unction, holy orders and marriage (see photo 26)
book 8: the seven deadly sins (or mortal sins) (see photo 27)
- followed on 32 pages by Martino Fornari’s treatise on the Sacrament of Order from the Jesuit Order, appearing for the first time in this new 1611 edition (see photos 28, 29 and 30)
- 63 pages of newly added alphabetical index (see photos 30 and 31)
- followed by 266 pages of the annotations and additions of Andreas Victorelli, drawn from the most eminent authors, on the first 7 books of Cardinal Franciscus Toletus and on the question of the profession of the three vows and their index (see photos 33 to 38)
- 2 last pages correcting an error on page 17 of Book 1 of Franciscus Toletus (see photo 38)

GOOD GENERAL CONSERVATION STATE

Contemporary leather binding, firm and in excellent condition, but showing frequent handling marks and marked aging of the leather, especially on the upper cover which is darkened and has suffered severe surface wear (epidermises) with material loss. The headcaps are shaved, the joints are decent but a bit worn. (see photos 2 and 40 to 46)
Back with four raised bands, delimiting five compartments. The leather of the spine is dry. The bands are rubbed and reveal the passage of sewing cords. The spine is bare, without a title piece but with illegible manuscript traces on the second compartment from the top (see photos 41 and 42).

Corners are worn, trimmed and the lining cardboard begins to split or appear bare (see photos 45 and 46).

Red speckled edges

Beautiful condition inside, pages and text block despite signs of use:
- Old faint damp circles visible on the first ~500 pages (mainly in the top margin of the first ~320 pages then in the lower margin on about 100 pages) and on the last ~90 pages, but the paper remains solid and not fragile (no active mold) (see photos 7 to 14 and 36 to 38)
- a very small black spot on page 446 and page 546 (see photo 18)
- larger spots on pages 988 (see photo 29) and 180 and 181 of Andreas Victorelli’s annotations and additions (see photo 35)
- ink stains along the outer margins of the last 10 pages of the index located just before Andreas Victorelli’s annotations and additions (see photos 31 and 32)!
- first 10 pages dog-eared (see photos 7, 8 and 9)
- epidermises and small tears at the bottom of pages 645 to 656 and 831 to 843 at the gutter of the back of the gatherings (see photos 22, 23 and 25)
- 1 barely perceptible small loss at the leaf of pages 401/402 and at the leaf of pages 1037/1038 (see photo 16)

Numerous banners, initials and drop caps (see photos 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36 and 37)

Old handwritten inscriptions in ink
- on the verso of the frontispiece including a name “Nicolaus Meine” and 2 Latin maxims and a crossed-out name “Ruette” (former municipality of Belgium?)
- the second maxim in Latin is echoed at the top of the frontispiece as well as the name “Meine” at the bottom (see photo 5)
- another old handwritten inscription at the top of the first free endpaper noting the name of one of the book’s owners but difficult to decipher with again the name “Ruette” crossed out

SEE PHOTOS