Rhetorica En Lengua Castellana, En La Qual Se Pone Muy En Breve Lo Necessario Para Saber Bien Hablar y Escrevir

First edition, 1541. 236 pages, 118 leaves (not including modern prelims and end-blanks). Title page printed in red and black within an ornate woodcut architectural-style border with woodcut arms within architectural border, page decorations, also within architectural style border on title page verso. Decorated initial caps throughout. In a later binding: cream vellum with dark brown leather spine straps and cream soft leather ties; modern endpapers (leather covers very slightly rubbed on edges). Occasional early inked marginalia, including a small drawing of a woodpecker on leaf bi and a cuffed hand pointing on leaf bii. Marginal paper repairs and restoration to first leaf and title page, further occasional small marginal and spot paper repairs. Some marginal browning, encroaching on text on last few leaves only. The name Joseph Campi is written at the foot of n4; and that of Hieronymi (brother?) Sedda beneath the colophon; both appear to be in an early hand. The first book of its kind to be published in Spanish, the author states his belief that there should be greater access to the Spanish rhetorical tradition. And so, by writing in the vernacular it opened up the subject to those Spanish speakers without a firm grasp of classical languages, in which other rhetorical texts were written. The author is widely held to be Miguel de Salinas, who claimed authorship in a later work, but his right to do so is disputed. Printed in 1541 by the well-known printer Juan de Brocar in Alcala de Henares. The book is thought to have been printed only once in the era [Mack, History of Renaissance Rhetoric 1380-1620, p. 301], although it was republished 1999. Two copies of the original identified on WorldCat – The British Library in London and the National Library of Spain in Madrid.