Francesco Benci. FRANCISCI BENCII AB AQUA PENDENTE E SOCIETATE JESU CARMINUM LIBRI. QUATTUOR EIUSDEM ERGASTUS. Bound together with FRANCISCI BENCII AB AQUA PENDENTE E SOCIETATE JESU ORATIONES XXII. EARUM ARGUMENTUM PAGINA, QUAE EPISTOLAM SEQUITUR PROXIME, INDICABIT. Rome: Apud Iacobum Tornerium, 1590. Limp vellum, yapp edges, with faint ink manuscript title on spine. 8vo; *8 A-Q8 (Q8 blank); *4 A-Z8 (Z8 blank); [8], 252, [4]; [8], 361, [7]pp. Italic type with Roman; text in Latin. With index, errata, second book with printed marginalia, woodcut device on title pages and final rear colophon, woodcut initials and ornaments. Edit16 5121; 5122.

6 5/8 x 4 7/8 in.

From the Collection of Professor Roberto Severino, Washington, D.C.

Francesco Benci (Italy, 1542-1594) was a professor, poet, and Jesuit best known for writing the first Jesuit epic poem. This volume, with two books bound as one, includes Benci's poems, a discussion of rhetoric, the play Ergastus, orations, and more.

Limp boards worn with small losses and cracking, some discoloration, stains and residue to back cover, loss to rear yapp edge, lacking ties, separation from textblock; wormholes to boards, hinges, and several pages, not impacting text, with more significant insect damage to paste-downs; pages lightly to moderately toned with foxing, occasional soiling, small stain, ink mark, fold, or tiny loss not impacting text, ink manuscript to title page, occasional small marginal damp stain.