COLOMA DE SAA, Alonso
RARE CATALAN RULE FOR BARCELONA NUNS
Regla segona del gliorios pare Sant Francesch.
Barcelona, per Gabriel Nogues, 1644.£1,950.00
12mo. pp. (xlviii) 499 (xiii). Roman and italic letter. Woodcut of Virgin Mary of the Apocalypse to A8v. Typographical tailpiece. Light waterstaining to t-p, continuing to lower corner and blank outer edge for two quires, quires C and K browned. Occasional light age-toning. Paper flaws to blank outer margins of F11-12. A good copy in original limp vellum.
Rare third edition, first published 1604, of this extremely scarce spiritual guide to the Franciscan rule in Catalan, written for the Capuchin community of Poor Clares of the Monastery of Santa Margarida la Reial in Barcelona. The author, who also went by Ildefons de Coloma i Melo, was Bishop of Barcelona and Cartagena. The son of a Catalan poet, Joan Coloma, Alonso also produced poetry in Latin and Catalan.
Aimed at a Franciscan Capuchin community of nuns known as Poor Clares, this book contains the Franciscan rule as communicated to Saint Clare or Chiara of Assisi, and written by her, and so begins with her testament and rule, covering the election of abbesses, the practice of poverty and observance of silence, work, visitation, etc. There follows the main rule of St. Francis, covering habits and dress, abstinence, confession, enclosure, discipline and obedience, hours of sleep and eating, etc. The divine offices of the day are also described in detail, with prayers and orders of services to be used. Also contained here are a papal bull and apostolic letters by Clement VIII and Paul V confirming the monastery’s authority.
OCLC notes copies at the British Library and Saint Bonaventure University only. All editions are extremely scarce, OCLC noting only three copies of the first edition and a single copy of that of 1614, none in the US. Palau XV, 254060. Aguilό y Fustér, Catálogo de Obras en Lengua Catalana, 790. USTC 5011823. Not in BM STC C17 Span.