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4°, later plain grey wrappers (minor soiling), old manuscript title on front cover, text-block edges rouged. Caption title. Four-line woodcut initial. A bit rubbed on final page. In very good condition. Engraved pictorial bookplate of Victor d'Avila Perez. (6 ll.). *** FIRST and ONLY EDITION of this rare account of a 1647 rebellion in Naples led by Masaniello (Tommaso Aniello), a fisherman, against the rule of Philip IV of Spain. The rebellion briefly created an independent Neapolitan republic, which lasted only until 1648 but remains a celebrated moment in the history of Naples. Not surprisingly, few if any accounts of this rebellion were printed in Spanish dominions. This one appeared in Portugal, which had declared its independence of Spanish rule in 1640 and was still at war with Spain. The relevance of all this for the Portuguese war of independence is summed up on f. A4v.This Relaçam begins with a recap of the history of Naples and Sicily under French and Spanish rule (including the Sicilian Vespers), briefly describes the recent rebellion in Sicily (ff. A1v-A2r), then moves on to a detailed account of the rebellion in Naples (ff. A2r-A4v). The central characters are Masaniello and the viceroy of Naples, Rodrigo Ponce de León, fourth Duke of Arcos, but the names and actions of many others are also included. On ff. A4v-A6v is the full text of the agreement between the viceroy and the people of Naples, dated Naples July 12, 1647. In it the viceroy grants Neapolitans limited self-government, promises restrictions on taxes, and exempts them from the crime of lèse majesté. Masaniello and his companions promise to march to the church of Sta. Maria de Constantinopola and lay down their arms.In the 1640s, Spain was dealing with rebellions in Portugal, the Netherlands, and Catalunya, and was embroiled in the Thirty Years' War. In Sicily and Naples (Europe's second-largest city), the hefty taxes imposed to raise money for war expenses had caused much unrest.Provenance: Victor Marat d'Avila Perez was a great bibliophile whose library was one of the dozen or so most important ever sold at auction in Portugal. The catalogue in six volumes contains 8,962 lots, sold in six parts with Arnaldo Henriques de Oliveira as expert, probably with a total of 30 sessions, the first part beginning 30 October 1939, with the final part beginning 29 April 1940.*** Arouca R395. Exposição bibliografica da Restauração 1229. HSA p. 456. Avila Perez 6312 (the present copy). Not in Innocêncio. Not in Palha. Not in Almirante; cf. p. 706. Not in Martinho da Fonseca, Restauração. Not in Trindade. Porbase locates four copies at the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal, all "aparado." Not located in Jisc. Not located in NUC.
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