Platynae hystoria de Vitis Pontificum: periucunda: diligenter recognita: & nunc tantum integre impressa [and:] Platynae dialogus de falso & vero bono [etc.] [caption title] Platina, [Bartolomeo Sacchi] Philosophy & Religion

Fourth edition of the Vitae Pontificum; second edition of Contra amores; first printings of the other works. Large woodcut illustration on the title, woodcut initials. Collation: a-s8; A-F8G6 (bound without A8 and D1, replaced by binder s leaves). cxlvi, [52] (of 54) leaves. Terminal blank G6 with two dozen manuscript citations in two early hands, backed with early binder s leaf, with another dozen references in ink. Extensive marginalia in several hands. Folio. An important new edition of Platina s Lives of the Popes, through Paul II (d. 1471), first published in 1479 (with further editions in 1481 and 1485). The finely rendered title page illustration (in a style not unlike the line art in Hypnerotomachia Poliphilli, 1499) depicts the author at his writing desk with eight popes standing before him. Humanist Bartolomeo Sacchi (1421-1481), known by his birthplace Platina, was librarian of the Vatican from 1475. Brunet days the biographies are "elegantly written" and notes that Pope Joan is here given the name of Ioannes VIII (fol. lvii). The work was widely reprinted in the next two centuries. The text is complete. The second part (sig. A-G) prints several of Platina s shorter works, including Dialogus de falso & vero bono (lacking one leaf); the misogynist Dialogus contra amores (first published in 1481); Dialogus de vera nobilitate (lacking one leaf); De optimo cive (dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici); Panegyricus in laudem amplissimi patria Bessarionis episcopi Sabini; Oratio de pace Italiæ confirmanda & bello Thurcis indicendo; and a collection of verses eulogizing Platina, Diversorum academicorum panegyrici in parentalia B. Platynae. The two parts have a separate register and each has a dated colophon. The annotations, in several hands, include dates, names of historical figures, expansions of abbreviations, and other comments. EDIT16 CNCE 34871; Brunet IV:692 "ecrites avec elegance"; Adams P1412. Provenance: Laurent Hubert (early signature George Kloss (book label); William R. Whittingham, his acquisition signature 15 Dec. 1835; Maryland Diocesan Library; General Theological Seminary (bookplate) Later blindstamped pigskin, spine label, edges red. Small loss to head of spine. Second part bound without two leaves. Marginalia partially trimmed. Very good Large woodcut illustration on the title, woodcut initials. Collation: a-s8; A-F8G6 (bound without A8 and D1, replaced by binder s leaves). cxlvi, [52] (of 54) leaves. Terminal blank G6 with two dozen manuscript citations in two early hands, backed with early binder s leaf, with another dozen references in ink. Extensive marginalia in several hands. Folio Fourth edition of the Vitae Pontificum; second edition of Contra amores; first printings of the other works.