A Book Not For Burning

For some life is never easy. Take for instance the ill-fated Spanish Jesuit, Juan de Mariana (1533-1624). His origins are obscure, but as a young priest of promise he was sent to Rome to teach, before occupying the distinguished Chair of Theology in Paris (1569-1574). Later he returned to Spain to devote himself solely to literary work and in 1592 his monumental history of Spain appeared which would run into many editions over the next two hundred years. He was at the top of his game and in 1599, at the solicitation of the royal tutor, he wrote the first work which would bring trouble to his life: De Rege et Regis Institutione libri III ad Philippum III Hispaniae Regem Catholicum, a primer to help instruct the royal princes. The king had no objections to it, but the Jesuits of France were quick to point out a sympathy for the lawful killing of tyrants; they felt Mariana approved of the assassination of Henry III of France. In 1605 a slightly altered edition came out in Mainz, but the tenacious French could not be appeased. In 1610 the Parliament of France ordered the book to be burnt by the public executioner. Moreover, that same year in Spain, Mariana was accused of treason to the king for his slim pamphlet on political economy, De monetae mutatione, which opposed the depreciation of the currency. He was arrested, his papers seized, and at the age of 73 he was condemned for life to a Franciscan convent. He gained freedom only shortly before his death and today is remembered as one of the most controversial members of the Society of Jesus.

Happily, an unburnt copy of the rare 1605 edition of De Rege et Regis Institutione has recently been donated to the library by Guenter Lewy. Dr. Lewy has also generously given two scarce 18th century French sets of the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus.