AL REY NUESTRA SEÑOR, POR LA PROVINCIA DE LA COMPANIA DE IESUS DE LA NUEVA ESPAÑA.

The legendary feud between Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza and the Society of Jesus was acrimonious, lengthy, and rich in legal filings. The main point of contention between the opposing parties was the failure of the Society to submit to the authority of the bishops and archbishop of Mexico, and this had a subchapter concerning the Jesuits' refusal to tithe to the ecclesiastical authorities. The present filing by the Society via its lawyer is a reply to Father Palafox's AL EXCELENTISSIMO SEÑOR DON GARCIA DE AVELLANEDA I HARO CONDE DE CASTRILLO PRESIDENTE EN EL REAL Y SUPREMO DE LAS INDIAS., published 1646 (see Medina BHA 6946). Sabin characterizes the Society's reply as "rabid." There are two editions of this work: the other has only 131 leaves and contains a typographical error on the titlepage ("lirro" for "libro"). In this edition the "Apendiz al Memorial. Aduertencias a quien lo huuiere leido" (pp.242-278) is by Juan Antonio Jarque. The place of printing has long been a matter of conjecture because of the paucity of studies of typography and typographic norms in Mexico and Puebla in the 17th century. We admit to no scholarship on the topic of typefaces but do have extensive experience with the paper used in Mexico and Puebla in the 1650s, and the watermark in this edition is that of paper widely used there. SABIN 58279, 73620. PALAU 209627, 275715. MEDINA, BHA 6837. DeBACKER-SOMMERVOGEL VII, col. 252. STREIT, BIBLIOTHECA MISSIONUM VII:1780. Small quarto. Contemporary limp vellum, evidence of lost ties. Early ownership signature in lower margin of titlepage, but crossed out making it most difficult to decipher. Bookseller's label of the Libreria de San Martin in Madrid. Very good overall.…