Important work on Gaetano di Thiene (1489-1547), known as Saint Cajetan, one of the most significant figures of the Catholic Reformation, and the founder of the Clerics Regular (Theatines).

Rare first and only edition of a significant source for the study of the Theatine Order.  The importance of this book lies in the great insight of Saint Cajetan and the Theatines, the political and religious reforms lived in post-medieval Europe, the emergence of Protestantism, the Counter Reformation, the intelligence on Martin Luther (1483-1546), the activities of Gian Pietro Carafa (1476-1559), later Pope Paul IV, the siege of Rhodes of 1522, the Knights of Malta, as well as, in its fascinating and scarce intelligence on the 17^th and 18^th century Catholic missionary activities in Borneo and Sumatra.  Approximately twelve pages are dedicated to the region, its natives, the set up of the first mission by the Theatines led by Father Antonino Ventimiglia, the conversion of the Dayak (Beajus) the ill-fated expedition of Father Gregorio Rauco, the missionary enterprises of Joseph Maria Martelli’s who the author personally met, etc. The book accounts on this Southeast Asia region till 1719, just three years prior to its publishing. These local activities remain seemingly unnoticed by scholars and historians.

The present copy is bound with the also rare “Supplemento...”, which was published twenty-one years later, adding  new information to the first work and including a most interesting account related with Brazil “Relação de hum milagre succedido a hum devoto de S. Caetano na Cidade do Salvador no Rio de Janeiro, Estado do Brasil, no anno de 1731...”

Argote, Jeronymo Contador De (1676-1749).  VIDA, E MILAGRES DE S. CAETANO THIENE, Fundador dos Clerigos Regulares.  Lisboa Occidental, na Officina de Pascoal Da Sylva, MDCCXXII [1722] & Argote, Jeronymo Contador De.  SUPPLEMENTO Á VIDA DE S. CAETANO. Lisboa, Offic. De Antonio Isidoro da Fonseca, 1743.

Two titles bound together in contemporary 18^th century calf, gilt tooling patterns on the spine, marbled endpapers. 20,5 cm. Complete: [28], 532, [34] pp. & [1 blank], 56 pp. Portuguese.  Ornamental woodcut headpieces, vignettes, and initials. Title page soiled and restored, two leaves with a restored tear, occasional stains.   Binding defective with superficial loss of leather, but still in rather robust condition.    

Note: Father Jeronimo Contador De Argote (1676-1749), author of this most interesting biography, was a Portuguese scholar, writer, and chronicler of Theatine Order.  He was also a founding member of the distinguished Portuguese Royal Academy of History.