Canones, Et Decreta Sacrosancti Oecumenici Et Generalis Concilii Tridentini Sub Paolo III: Ivlio III, Pio IIII. Pontificibus. Max.

Roma, Aldus Paulus Manutius,1564.

4º. 284pp. Bound in a lovely 18th century half vellum bindig with pretty patterned paper over boards. Soine with handwritten title and ornamentations in ink. Inner hinges very neatly restored (barely noticeable and original end-papers preserved). Old ink-annotation to pasted-down front end-paper. An excellent copy, also internally in very nice condition with only light occasional brownspotting. Large Aldine printer's device (dolphin and anchor) to title-page and lovely woodcut initials, paginated with Arabic numerals.

The very rare first reprint of the first edition - i.e. the second overall printing and the first 4to-edition - of the canons and decrees of the council of Trent, one of the most significant series of meetings in Christian history. This milestone in Western culture and religion arguably constitutes the most important work printed in the history of the Catholic Church.

This seminal magnum opus of the Catholic Church originally appeared in a folio in 1564, followed very shortly after by this first 4to-edition, which constitutes the second printing of the work. Later the same year, another 12 editions of the work appeared, all bearing the same year (1564) on the title-page, some printed in Venice, some in Rome. The present copy constitutes the first reprint of the first edition,namely in 4to,set with italics,with 284 pp., paginated with Arabic numerals. It is very rare indeed and is scarcer in library holdings than the originalfolio-edition.In 1561 Paulus Manutius was invited to Rome by Pope Pius IV to be in charge of the press "In aedibus Populi Romani"under the banner of the aldine press. He would publish here the documents that came out of the Council of Trent, including the Missal and the Catechism, and eventually the present book.

REF: PMM 82