Stock #: ST10883           $3250
PJP Catalog 57.250

     RAINOLDS JOHN.
THE SVMME OF THE CONFERENCE BETWENE IOHN RAINOLDES AND IOHN HART: TOVCHING THE HEAD AND THE FAITH OF THE CHVRCH. (Londini: Impensis Geor. Bishop  1584)   210 x 150 mm. (8 1/4 x 6"). 674 659-750 (i.e. 764) pp.    FIRST EDITION.    CONTEMPORARY DARK CALF BOARDS very expertly rebacked (perhaps early in the 20th century) covers with large intricately gilt oval at center (the oval on the front board flanked by the letters "I R" and the back "H P") raised bands maroon titling label remnants of ties newer endpapers.          Joints slightly rubbed covers just a bit marked but the expertly restored binding solid and quite attractive. Small tear with neat early repair in lower outer corner of one leaf (text not affected) light dampstain at fore edge of a few leaves at the end not infrequent intermittent minor soiling and browning but none of these problems serious and the text generally pleasing with fresh leaves and ample margins.

This is a rare copy of a substantial 16th century imprint recording one of an ongoing series of debates staged in the time of Elizabeth between a Protestant and a Catholic divine with the purpose of demonstrating the open-mindedness of the sovereign. This liberality did not of course extend to the possibility that the Catholic cause would be allowed to triumph; rather it was hoped that the papist would make an edifying recantation and accept the clemency of the queen. Most Catholics under Elizabeth were merely fined for "recusancy" but those actively seeking to convert others and suspected of supporting the claims of Mary Queen of Scots to the throne were considered traitors. One such was John Hart. Educated in England Hart had embraced the Catholic cause and withdrawn to Douay on the continent a stronghold of English Catholics. There he attended university and became a priest. Landing in England in 1580 he was almost immediately arrested as a subversive and he spent many months in prison. Nearly executed in 1581 he temporarily betrayed a willingness to abandon his faith although he subsequently stiffened having been strengthened it is said by a visit from his mother. In 1582 the queen's secretary Walsingham sent Hart to Oxford for a debate which lasted several weeks with an Oxford don John Rainolds. Their arguments were recorded and with the cooperation of both published in debate form in this volume. The title page tells us that therein are handled "sundrie points of the sufficiencie and right expounding of the Scriptures the ministerie of the Church the function of Priesthood the sacrifice of the Masse with other controversies of religion: but chiefly and purposely the point of Church-government opened in the branches of Christes supreme soueraintie of Peters pretended the Popes usurped the Princes lawfull Supremacie." It is clear from this that Rainolds an advocate of the low church position among Anglicans had the final word. Hart who became a Jesuit in prison remained firm was banished and died in Poland in 1586. This record of their debate was republished a number of times (NUC lists five printings in English and one in Latin). A significant figure in the academic world during the last quarter of the 16th century Rainolds or Reynolds (1549-1607) rose to be president of Corpus Christi College Oxford and Dean of Lincoln Cathedral. He is perhaps best known as the most important member of the team of translators employed by King James to produce the Authorized Version of the Bible. He was a Puritan of stringently virtuous and rigorously moral character a fact that brought public notice successively from Elizabeth and James who both appreciated the strength of his commitment and at the same time recognized its tendency toward excess.

Milward 220; STC 20626.