Guillaume Durand - Prochiron vulgo Rationale divinorum officiorum - 1551-1554

Lyon, Theobaldus Paganus for the heirs of Giacomo Giunta, 1551.
Small quarto, full calf, 28 + 296 leaves, text in two columns, decorated initials, scattered foxing. Two leaves were missing in this copy and replaced by two leaves from incunabulum pages. Nevertheless, a good copy overall.
The dedicatory epistle to the author is attributed to Nicolas DOARD, abbé of Marcilhac-sur-Célé (Lot). A second is addressed to Cardinal Petro Ferris (1416-1468), bishop of Tarazona, by the jurist and humanist Joannes Aloisius Toscanus (14..-1478), auditor and chamberlain of the papal apostolic chamber, who was notably the editor of the Rationale Divinorum in 1475. Guillaume Durand (c. 1230-1296), native of Puimisson near Béziers and bishop of Mende (Lozère), was nicknamed 'the speculator.' A student of Henri de Suse, he held, among other positions, that of law professor in Modena, was appointed papal chaplain and general auditor of causes at the palace by Clement IV, dean of the chapter of Chartres, and rector and count of Romagna in Italy. An influential author, his treatise on medieval Catholic liturgy enjoyed extraordinary popularity during the Middle Ages.