Espelho de lusitanos em o cristal de psalmo quarenta e tres. Cuja vista em suma, representa este reyno em tres estados. O primeiro desde seus principios, com todas as felicidades, & grandezas suas ate` a morte del rey d. Ioam terceiro. O segundo as calami

Lyra, Antonio Velozo de

1643. Lisbon. Paulo Crasbeeck. 4to, (190 x 130 mm). 6 ff., plate, 82 ff., 2 ff. Fine blue morocco gilt by Emile Rousselle, spine with triple gilt fillets and corner pieces, raised bands to spine, tooled and lettered in gilt.

First edition. Portugal, which had been annexed to Spain in 1580, rose against Spanish rule in 1640 and its independent monarchy restored under João IV. During Portugal’s years of “Spanish Captivity” many came to believe that a Messianic deliverer would rescue the country from its misfortunes (see Boxer, Portuguese Seaborne Empire, pp. 372–4). Lyra’s Espelho is a reading of Portuguese history in the light of Psalm 43. The work aims to represent three periods of the history of Portugal as mirrored in said psalm: beginning with the fortunate period up to João III (d. 1557), then the calamitous times of King Sebastian (killed fighting the Moors in North Africa) and Spanish rule, and culminating with the providential events leading to the restoration, with João IV as the herald of a new glorious age for the kingdom. One engraved plate with engraved royal arms of the House of Portugal.

 

Lyra (1616 – 1691) was a Portuguese Doctor of Theology at the University of Salamanca, Canon of the See of Funchal.

 

Provenance: Maggs Bros.

 

Very rare, we could only trace copies at Harvard, Newberry, and a different, later, edition at the British Library. Not in COPAC. No copies have ever appeared for auction.

1643

$2,000.00