Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Jesu, opus inchoatum a R.P. Pedro Ribadeneira

Eiusdem Societatis Theologo, anno salutis 1602. Continuatum a R.P. Philippo Alegambe Ex eadem Societate, usque ad annum 1642. Recognitum, et productum ad annum Iubilæi M.DC.LXXV. [1675]. A Nathanaele Sotuello Eiusdem Societatis Presbytero.

Romæ : Ex typographia Iacobi Antonij de Lazzaris Varesij, MDCLXXVI [1676].

Folio, contemporary vellum over boards; front pastedown with the ex libris of H.P. Kraus; pp xxxvi, 974 [of 982, lacking the last 4 leaves of the index]; title page with engraved printer’s device incorporating Jesuit trigram; decorative initials; text in double columns; title page relaid, with loss at upper outer corner and early ownership inscription scratched out; marginal repairs to last few leaves.

Pedro Ribadeneira (b. Toledo, 1527; d. Madrid, 1611) may be regarded as one of the fathers of modern bibliography. His Illustrium Scriptorum Religionis Societatis Iesu Catalogus was first published in Antwerp in 1602. The work records Jesuit figures alphabetically, each entry including a brief biography followed by a list of writings in chronological order. The bibliography went through numerous augmented editions during the seventeenth century. The 1676 Rome edition incorporated the revisions and additions of Philippus Alegambe and Nathaniel Southwell. These editors accorded Ribadeneira himself a prominent entry, the first page of which is printed in large, bold capitals.

Sabin, 70777, citing Leclerc: “Ouvrage infiniment précieux pour la bibliographie et l’histoire des écrivains de la Cie. de Jésus.”