CAVICEO (Jacopo)

Sex urbium dicta ad Maximilianum Federici Tertii caesarius filium Romanorum regem triumphantissimum. [Venice, after 16 Mar.

      - Five-line ornamental woodcut initial on first page, first page of text printed within a single rule. Sm. 4to. 6 leaves, the last blank. Later wrappers. 1491]. One of only two editions of this tract which purports to be a collection of speeches addressed to Emperor Maximilian by certain great cities of old (Babylon, Troy, etc.) congratulating him on the occasion of his victory over the Hungarians at Stühlweissenburg (Alba Regia) in November 1490; Babylon, Troy, Byzantium and finally Rome are introduced as speakers, extolling the military prowess of the young king of the Romans, and exhorting him to lead at last the long desired war against the Turks, prophesying a glorious victory for Maximilian and the state of Christendom. The author Caviceo (1443-1571), a native of Parma, became very well known after the publication of his romantic novel Il Peregrino in 1508. GW assigned the printing to Benalius, but this is not accepted by BMC or IGI VI while the second edition is assigned to Matteo Capcasa after 16 Mar. 1491. HC 4805*. BMC VII, 1146. IGI 2655. GW 6433. Goff C355.