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Library / Commentaries and Disputations on Genesis, Volume II

Front matter

THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. I indeed believed, most humane Reader, when I published the first Volume of my Commentaries on Genesis, that what remained of that book could be completed and comprehended in one further volume of Commentaries. But the event deceived my expectation. For the work so grew — whether on account of the obscurity of many matters, which, being joined together for commentary, more vehemently rouses and sharpens industry, or on account of the abundance and pleasantness of many other matters, which invites to copiousness and at once impels it greatly — that, unless what remained were divided into two volumes, it would seem neither [short] enough nor convenient and pleasant enough for the reader. Now therefore the second volume comes to light, comprising the history of Moses from the fifth chapter to the twelfth in nine books of Commentaries and Disputations. In completing, polishing, filing, and perfecting it, how much of effort, labor, and care had to be undertaken and spent by us, the learned and practiced Reader will easily judge — even while we are silent — from the matters treated in it. Concerning the publication of the third volume I dare promise nothing, on account of the uncertain and deceptive condition of my health and life. Yet this I can truly say: that the greater part of that volume has been worked out and finished by us. Farewell

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THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. I indeed believed, most humane Reader, when I published the first Volume of my Commentaries on Genesis, that what remained of that book could be completed and comprehended in one further volume of Commentaries. But the event deceived my expectation. For the work so grew — whether on account of the obscurity of many matters, which, being joined together for commentary, more vehemently rouses and sharpens industry, or on account of the abundance and pleasantness of many other matters, which invites to copiousness and at once impels it greatly — that, unless what remained were divided into two volumes, it would seem neither [short] enough nor convenient and pleasant enough for the reader. Now therefore the second volume comes to light, comprising the history of Moses from the fifth chapter to the twelfth in nine books of Commentaries and Disputations. In completing, polishing, filing, and perfecting it, how much of effort, labor, and care had to be undertaken and spent by us, the learned and practiced Reader will easily judge — even while we are silent — from the matters treated in it. Concerning the publication of the third volume I dare promise nothing, on account of the uncertain and deceptive condition of my health and life. Yet this I can truly say: that the greater part of that volume has been worked out and finished by us. Farewell.1

AUCTOR LECTORI. Credebam equidem, humanissime Lector, cùm edidi primum Tomum Commentariorum meorum in Genesim, fore ut quod reliquum erat eius libri, una altera Commentariorum tomo absolvi & comprehendi posset. Verùm opinionem meam fefellit eventus. Ita enim crevit opus, vel propter multarum rerum obscuritatem, quae iungenda ad commentandum excitat vehementius & acrius industriam acuit, vel propter ingentium aliarum rerum ubertatem atque amoenitatem, quae ad copiam invitat simulque pellit plurimùm, ut nisi quod superabat duos in tomos dispertitum esset, nec longius nec legenti satis commodum & iucundum fore videretur. Nunc igitur in lucem prodit secundus tomus, historiam Mosis à capite quinto usque ad duodecimum novem libris Commentariorum & Disputationum complectens. In quo absolvendo, poliendo, limando & perficiendo, quantum à nobis operae, laboris & curae suscipi & consumi necesse fuerit, in rebus quae in eo tractantur doctus & versatus Lector, etiam nobis tacentibus, facilè iudicabit. De tertii autem tomi editione nihil audeo polliceri, propter incertam & fallacem valetudinis & vitae conditionem. Illud tamen verè possum dicere, maiorem eius tomi partem à nobis elaboratam & confectam esse. Vale.

APPROBATIO OPERIS. Ego Frater Ioannes Çaragoça, Magister & Socius Reverendissimi P. Fratris Bartholomaei de Miranda, Magistri Sacri Palatii, ex commissione suae Reverendissimae P. vidi & perlegi secundum Tomum Commentariorum in Genesim novem libris comprehensum, quem Reverendus admodum P. Benedictus Pererius Valentinus è Societate IESU, una cum libro de Benedictionibus duodecim Patriarcharum, summa diligentia elaboratum edit in lucem. In eo nihil deprehendi Fidei Catholicae Christianaeque disciplinae dissonum, ac morum integritati adversum, quodve Catholicorum Principum mentes offendere [possit], sed plurimam eruditionem, variam & multiplicem sanctorum Patrum doctrinam, Theologorum minimè vulgarem lectionem, atque in explicandis Geneseos capitibus miram dexteritatem. Eamque ob rem illam approbo, atque dignam censeo quae typis excusa in communem omnium utilitatem & usum exponatur. In cuius rei fidem praesentem manu propria subscripsi. Die 18. Aprilis, 1592. F.P. Ioannes Çaragoça Magister.
APPROBATION OF THE WORK. I, Brother Joannes Çaragoça [Zaragoza], Master and Associate of the most Reverend Father Brother Bartholomew de Miranda, Master of the Sacred Palace, by commission of his most Reverend Paternity, have seen and read through the second Volume of Commentaries on Genesis comprised in nine books, which the very Reverend Father Benedict Pererius of Valencia, of the Society of Jesus, together with the book On the Blessings of the Twelve Patriarchs, has brought to light, worked out with the greatest diligence. In it I have found nothing dissonant from the Catholic Faith and Christian discipline, nothing adverse to the integrity of morals, nothing that could offend the minds of Catholic Princes, but much erudition, the varied and manifold doctrine of the holy Fathers, a far from common reading of the Theologians, and a wonderful dexterity in explaining the chapters of Genesis. For which reason I approve it, and judge it worthy to be set forth in print for the common utility and use of all. In faith of which I have signed the present [approbation] with my own hand. The 18th day of April, 1592. Fr. Joannes Çaragoça, Master.2
Extraict du privilege de Monseigneur le Duc de Genevois, & de Nemours. Par privilege de Monseigneur le Duc de Genevois & de Nemours, Pair de France, suyvant le pouvoir à luy donné de Monseigneur le Duc de Mayenne, Lieutenant general de l'Estat Royal & Couronne de France, est permis à IEAN BAPTISTE REGNAULD, marchand Libraire à Lyon, de faire imprimer le second Tome & volume d'œuvres de R.P. BENEDICTUS PERERIUS, de la Compagnie de IESUS, sur le Genese. Avec defences à tous autres Libraires & Imprimeurs de cestedicte ville de Lyon, d'imprimer, ou faire imprimer, vendre, ny distribuer, autres que ceux dudict Regnauld, par l'espace de dix ans, à commençant au iour que ladicte impression aura esté achevee, à peine de confiscation & amande arbitraire. Ce qui est tenu pour notifié à tous & un chacun, suyvant ladict dudict privilege apposé audict liure. Donné à Lyon le dernier iour de Mars, 1592. Signé, CHARLES DE SAVOYE. Et par Monseigneur, MALEZIEU.
Extract of the privilege of My Lord the Duke of Genevois and of Nemours. By privilege of My Lord the Duke of Genevois and of Nemours, Peer of France, following the power given to him by My Lord the Duke of Mayenne, Lieutenant-General of the Royal Estate and Crown of France: JEAN-BAPTISTE REGNAULD, bookseller-merchant at Lyon, is permitted to have printed the second Tome and volume of the works of the Reverend Father BENEDICTUS PERERIUS, of the Society of Jesus, on Genesis. With prohibition to all other booksellers and printers of this said city of Lyon to print, or have printed, sell, or distribute [it], other than those of the said Regnauld, for the space of ten years, beginning on the day when the said printing shall have been completed, under penalty of confiscation and an arbitrary fine. Which is held as notified to each and all, according to the said [clause] of the said privilege affixed to the said book. Given at Lyon, the last day of March, 1592. Signed, CHARLES DE SAVOIE. And by My Lord, MALEZIEU.3
Privilegium P. Provincialis Lugdun. Provinciae Societatis IESU, Ioanni Baptistae Regnaldo concessum. BERNARDINUS CASTORIUS, Provincialis Collegiorum Societatis IESU in Provincia Lugdunensi, iuxta privilegia eidem Societati à Christianissimo Galliarum Rege die 10. Maii anni 1583. concessa (quo Bibliopolis omnibus prohibetur, ne libros ab eiusdem Societatis hominibus compositos absque eorum permissione imprimant), permitto Ioanni Baptistae Regnaldo, Lugdunensi Bibliopolae, ut opus cui titulus est, Benedicti Pererii Valentini, Presbyteri Societatis IESU Doctorisque Theologi, Commentariorum in Genesim Tomus secundus, cui adiunctus est eiusdem Auctoris Liber de Benedictionibus duodecim Patriarcharum, ad sex proximos annos imprimere ac liberè divendere possit. Datum Lugduni die 6. Iunii, 1592. BERNARDINUS CASTORIUS.
Privilege of the Father Provincial of the Lyon Province of the Society of Jesus, granted to Jean-Baptiste Regnauld. BERNARDINUS CASTORIUS [Bernardino Castori], Provincial of the Colleges of the Society of Jesus in the Province of Lyon, according to the privileges granted to the same Society by the Most Christian King of France on the 10th day of May 1583 (by which all booksellers are forbidden to print books composed by men of the same Society without their permission), do permit Jean-Baptiste Regnauld, bookseller of Lyon, that he may, for the next six years, print and freely sell the work entitled: ‘Of Benedict Pererius of Valencia, Priest of the Society of Jesus and Doctor of Theology, The Second Volume of Commentaries on Genesis’ — to which is adjoined, by the same Author, the ‘Book On the Blessings of the Twelve Patriarchs.’ Given at Lyon, the 6th day of June, 1592. BERNARDINUS CASTORIUS.4

Translator’s notes

  1. ‘The Author to the Reader’ (PDF 14). Pererius explains that the remaining Genesis material grew too large for one volume, so it was split; this second volume covers Gen 5–12 (Noah to the calling of Abraham) in nine books. He will not promise a third volume given his failing health, though most of it is already drafted. (The first volume covered Gen 1–5; a third, on the later chapters, was indeed published later.) ↩
  2. Approbation (PDF 14, foot). The official ecclesiastical license, by Fr. Joannes Çaragoça, associate of the Master of the Sacred Palace (Bartolomé de Miranda), dated 18 April 1592 (Rome) — confirming the work (with the appended treatise on the Twelve Patriarchs' Blessings) contains nothing against faith or morals and is fit to print. A French printing privilege follows on PDF 17. ↩
  3. French royal printing privilege (PDF 17, upper). Issued in the name of Charles of Savoy, Duke of Genevois-Nemours — acting under the Duke of Mayenne (the Catholic League's lieutenant-general during the French Wars of Religion) — granting the Lyon bookseller Jean-Baptiste Regnauld a 10-year monopoly on this second volume. Given at Lyon, 31 March 1592. (Text in French, as printed.) ↩
  4. Jesuit Provincial's privilege (PDF 17, lower). Bernardino Castori, Provincial of Lyon, grants Regnauld a 6-year license under the Society's royal privilege of 10 May 1583 (which barred printing Jesuit authors' works without permission). Given at Lyon, 6 June 1592. Again names the appended treatise On the Blessings of the Twelve Patriarchs. ↩