ISTRUZIONI sopra gli obblighi piu principali de' caualieri di Malta. Opera d'uno di essi della... lingua di Francia (ed. by F.A.Pouget) tradotta del Francese... With a dedication to Emanuel Pinto da Fonseca by G.B. Alessandri.

Malta, Niccolo Capaci for nel Palazzo, e Stamperia di S.A.S, 1758. Title with woodcut coat of arms, 1 full-page engraving with coat of arms of the Order, head- and endpieces and initials in woodcut. (6) ff., IX pp., 1 leaf, 149 pp., (1) p. 4to. Contemporary vellum. Malta, Niccolo Capaci for nel Palazzo, e Stamperia di S.A.S, 1758. First edition in Italian. A French version of instructions on the main duties of the Knights of Malta appeared already in 1713. Manuel Pinto da Fonseca (1661-1773) was the 68th Grand Master of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem from 1741 until his death. In 1764 he negotiated with King Frederich II (the Great) of Prussia a re-unification of the Protestant Bailiwick of Brandenburg. But as Pope Clement XIII would not allow admission into a Roman Catholic organization of men viewed as heretics by the Church, the agreement came to naught. Pinto undertook many buildings projects, introducing the Baroque style throughout Malta. The book was printed by N. Capaci, a Sicilian typographer who established the second press in Malta in 1756. - A nice and rare copy. - Cf. Hellwald, p. 231; see Cavagna, Anna. La tipographica professione di Niccolo Capaci. Milan, 2005. JOHANNITER ; MALTA ;