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Methodus confessionis seu verius Doctrinae pietatisque christianae praecipuorum capitum epitome, a Divo Petro de Soto (Dillingen: Sebald Mayer, 1576) .

Pedro de Soto, O.P. (†1563), was a student at Salamanca, and—according to the ideal promoted by Melchior Cano—was learned in the works of the fathers and the teachings of the Councils as well as in Scholastic theology. He was a counsellor to the emperor Charles V, who urged him to go to Germany to preach against the Lutheran heretics. Many of his writings are controversial.

The Method of Confession published in this volume is a pastoral work in the tradition of medieval Dominican writings. It treats the ten commandments, the sacraments, the seven capital vices and their remedial virtues, and the art of dying well. Pedro de Soto's writings enjoyed special popularity in Germany; two of his other catechetical works were first published in Germany, and one of them, the Compendium doctrinae catholicae, was also translated into German, and was printed by Sebald Mayer, the printer of this volume.

This volume binds together another confessional work by the Jesuit Johann Polan, which was also printed by Mayer in 1576. The book has a contemporary pigskin binding over boards, appropriately blind stamped with an image of Christ's Harrowing of Hell.

References: Guerrero, "Catecismos de autores españoles," in RHCEE 2: 240-41; IA 3/3: 405; Quétif-Échard 2/1: 183a-84a; VD16 19: 307 (S 7089).

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