Silva, I.F. da. Diccionário bib. portuguez Landwehr, J. Romanic emblem books Soares, E. Hist. da gravura artística em Portugal Vol. 1 has engraved t.p.; imprint from engraved frontispiece Vol. 2 has printed t.p. Title and statement of responsibility vary slightly: O principe dos patriarchas S. Bento ... discursada em emprezas politicas, & moraes, pelo ... Frey Joam dos Prazeres .. Imprint to v. 2: Lisboa, na officina de Joam Galram, anno de 1690 ... a custa da Congregaçaõ de S. Bento Silva gives Galraõ as publisher of both vols., and records dates as 1685 and 1696 respectively Written in response to the Crisol purificativo of Manuel Leal de Barros in contesting the relative primacy of the Augustine and Benedictine rules. Cf. Rezam e defensam do titulo do livro, p. [3-11] (1st group) Projected as 4 v.; no more published. Cf. Silva and "Ao leytor," v. 2, p. [7-8] (1st group) Signatures: v. 1, *-³* *, A-2X 2Y, * * (*6 blank); v. 2, *-3* A-3O 3P² (-3P2 blank) Illustrations: 75 prints : engraving ; full-page (2) and plate mark 15 x 12 cm. (1) and 13 x 12 cm. (72). Comprise t.p. and frontispiece to v. 1, drawn and engraved by Clemente Billingue; arms of the respective dedicatees of the 2 volumes; and 71 emblems, of which 26 are signed by Francesco Gomes (chiefly with initials F.G. f.) and 3 by Billingue (monogram CB) in v. 1 and 6 by Duarte (i.e. C. Duarte; 2 signed D, Du) in v. 2 Includes bibliographical references, indexes, and errata