Summa Angelica de Casibus Conscientiae
| Macro-category | Rare Books and Manuscripts |
| Subcategory | Incunabula |
| Author | ANGELO CARLETTI (FROM CLAVASIUS) |
| Place of printing | Clavassii (Chivasso) |
| Publisher / Maker | Jacobinus de Suigo |
| Year | 1486 |
first edition of Angelo Carletti summa angelica
and only book printed in Chivasso (Italy) in xv century
handwritten annotation along the text, in its contemporary binding
red rubrications along the text
Angelo Carletti (from Clavasius). Summa angelica casibus conscientiae. Impressus hoc opus Clavassii: Jacobinus de Suigo, 13 maggio 1486.
4° (210x155 mm), contemporary full vellum binding, blind tooled geometrical impression at boards and geometrical central medallion (light scratches at boards), spine renewed, original clamps partially present, ff. 388. Gothic type, 55 lines. The two blank pages between registrum and index, almost always missing, are present in this copy, signature: †a–y⁸z¹²A–Z⁸〈1–4〉¹⁰.
Arranged in 659 chapters, in alphabetic order, the work is a tool for confessor and a kind of dictionary of moral theology.
Considered a symbol of Catholic orthodoxy, the Summa was burnt by Martin Luther, who called the opera Summa plus quam diabolica, in Wittemberg on December, 10th, 1520 together with the Bull of Excommunication, The Code of Canon Law and Saint Augustin Summa Theologica.
A chapter is devoted to prostitution, others to divination (Sortilegium) and necromancy. Also included a chapter on the Inquisition Role.
According to Thorndike, IV,354, Clavasius was one of the few lawyers in his age that strongly attacked Alchemy, affirming that according to his knowledge no one has ever produced gold and for this reason is mentioned by Jacques Manget in his Bibliotheca Chimica, I, 214.
Blessed Angelo Carletti from Chivasso was a noted moral theologian of the Order of Friars Minor; born at Chivasso in Piedmont, in 1411; and died at Coni, in Piedmont, in 1495.
He attended the University of Bologna, where he received the degree of Doctor of Civil and Canon Law. It was probably at the age of thirty that he entered the Order of Friars Minor.
Conditions: Spine restored using parts of the original binding, light waterstain at the external margin of few leaves, heavier in the last quires, but in general a good copy printed on crispy paper.
Provenance: I. Interesting comments and annotations, both of corrections and additions, from two different contemporary hands.
II. Ex libris Pro viribus summis contendo with noble coats of arms on paper label at front inside board. III. Ex libris Bibliotheca Broxbourniana J.P.W.E. ex dono A & RE 17 March 1949 from the renowned Ehrman collection, with John Patrick William Ehrman, founder’s son, initials, on paper boards at back inside board. The remaining part of the collection is now at the Cambridge University.
References: HC 5382. CBB 205. Ce³ A-713. CIH 193. IBE 355. IBP 349. IBPort 102. IDL 289. IGI 559. Pell 3812. Rhodes: Greece A7. CRF I 75. CRF III 51. CRF VIII 26. CRF XI 39. CRF XII 51. CRF XIV 28. VB 2852.10. CIBN A-383. Pr 7323. BMC VII 1111. Bod-inc A-285. Günther 561. Madsen 194. Mendes: Lisboa 82. Oates 2725. 2726. Sallander: Uppsala I 2029. Walsh: Harvard 3584. ISTC ia00713000 Reproduktionen: Res.Publ. Unit 60.
