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Parte primera de la Introdvction del Symbolo de la Fe, en la qval se trata dela Creacion del Mvndo para venir por las Criaturas al conoscimiento del Criador, y de sus diuinas perfectiones. Compvesta por el mvy Reverendo Padre Maestro Fray Luys de Granada dela Orden de Sancto Domingo; Parte segvnda . . . en la qval se trata delas excelencias de nvestra sanctissima Fe, y Religion Christiana; Parte tercera . . . qve trata del misterio de nvestra Redempcion..; Parte qvarta . . . (procediendo por lvmbre de Fe) se trata del mysterio de nuestra Redempcion..; Parte qvinta . . . la qval es vn Summario de las qvatro principales partes qve se tratan en la dicha Introdvction. Añadiose vn tratado de la manera de enseñar los mysterios de nuestra Fe . . . Compvesta por el P.M. Fray Lvys de Granada de la Orden de Sancto Domingo (Barcelona: Hubert Gotard, 1589) .

Luis de Granada's Introduction del Symbolo de la Fe, first published in 1583 at Salamanca by the heirs of Mathías Gast (Llaneza 2: 241-42 no 1862), is a comprehensive catechetical work. Its large structure recalls the De sacramentis christianae fidei of Hugh of St.-Victor: it first treats the `works of creation' (Part 1) and then the `works of redemption' (Parts 3-4). The work is divided into four major parts, which are subdivided further into parts and are followed by a summary of the whole.

The first part, concerning creation, is an encyclopedia of the medieval kind. It ascends from the four elements, to animals, to the outer and inner features and harmonies of the human body, to the soul, and thence to considerations of divine providnce and the grandezas de Dios. The second part treats 16 "excellences" of the Catholic faith. Parts three and four treat the mysteries of redemption, including 20 fruits of the Cross, ancient prefigurations of Christ, four dialogues between a Master and Disciple concerning the Incarnation and Passion (Part 3), scriptural prophecies, the prophecies of the Sybils, extraordinary deeds of Christ, the "fables of the Talmud," and rise finally to considerations of the divinity of Christ, the Trinity, the Passion (again), the Sacrament, and the cessation of the Old and establishment of the New Law. The fifth part consolidates and summarizes all.

In this edition printed by Hubert Gotard (active in Barcelona, 1585-1589), each part has a separate title page and is separately paginated (Part 1: 8 fols. + 150 pp. + 1 fol.; Part 2: 174 pp. + 1 fol.; Part 3: 126 pp. + 1 fol.; Part 4: 176 pp. + 2 fols.; Part 5: 4 fols. + 240 pp. + 2 fols.). The first title page is printed in red and black inks and all the others in black ink only; instead of a printer's device, each title page bears an image of the head of Christ in a medallion surrounded by a square typographic border design.

In 1589, financed by various collaborators, Gotard published the Introduction, together(?) or in parts at least five times (Llaneza 2: 257-59 nos 1895-99). This complete edition, which seemingly he financed himself, is not recorded by Llaneza nor noted in other standard sources. Moreover, Gotard seems to have had some business agreement with the printer Cornelio Bonardo of Salamanca. At the beginning of the first (¶4v) and fifth (*4v) parts, Gotard prints dedications to the "printer Cornelio Bonardo"; the texts of the title pages, including various scriptural verses, are nearly identical to those in the editions of the first four parts of the Introduction and separately printed fifth part published by Bonardo in 1588 (Llaneza 2: 254-56 nos 1890-92).

Like Bonardo, along with the fifth part in consecutive pages (pp. 192-240) Gotard prints a separate treatise by Luis de Granada, with a separate title page: Breve Tratado en qve se declara de la manera qve se podra propner la doctrina de nvestra sancta Fe, y Religion Christiana, a los nueuos fieles. Ordenado por el Padre Fray Luys de Granada (En Barcelona, En casa de Hubert Gotard, Anno 1589). Besides the same text, the title page to this treatise displays the same image of St. Peter surrounded by the verse "Tv es Petrvs, et svper hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam. Matth. 16." as is found in a separate edition of the Breve Tratado printed by Bonardo at Salamanca in 1588 (Llaneza 1: 280 n° 728). Like the writings of Thomas Aquinas, at the end of the sixteenth century the writings of Luis seem to have been in such demand that they were replicated rapidly by several printers and publishers at once.

This copy of Gotard's edition is bound in parchment with an inscription on the spine: "Cathecismo. De ffray luis." The hand and ink of this inscription are the same as those on the spine of catalogue n° 78.

References: IA 3/3: 38, 226 (printers); see the references to Llaneza in the text.

Catalogue No. 81
Call Number: Rare Books DURAND AGM4571      Catalog Record

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