SARPI, Fra-Paolo and LE COURAYER, Pierre-François. History of the Council of Trent, written in Italian by Fra-Paolo Sarpi, of the Servite order; and retranslated into French with critical, historical and theological notes by Pierre-François le Courayer. Published in Amsterdam by J. Wetstein and G. Smith in 1751. In 3 volumes in-4, full tawny marbled calf, 5-rib spine, flowered boxes, gilt title and tomaison on red and beige morocco leather, red edges. Contemporary binding. 6 ff. (epistle), LXXII (preface) and 562 pp. ; 644 pp. ; 562 pp. 1 frontispiece by Sarpi engraved by F. Lucas. Engraved title vignette, bandeaux, lettrines and culs-de-lampe. Title printed in black and red. Overall rubbed, with some loss to spine and spine ends, headpieces loose, 1 spine end restored, light scuffing to boards. Very rare and light foxing, rare annotations in red in the margins; clean inside nevertheless. French edition, translated from the Italian by Fra-Paolo Sarpi with critical, historical and theological notes, by Pierre-François le Courayer. First published without the author's authorization in London in 1619, the work was immediately translated into the main European languages, but soon placed on the index. The forbidden translations, which were immediately used by Protestants against the papacy, aroused the ire of the Church. The work, intended as an indictment of the Papacy and the Counter-Reformation, was a veritable indictment of the Council of Trent. It also earned Sarpi the reputation of being one of the best Italian historians after Machiavelli. We present here the latest edition of Le Courrayer's translation, the most accomplished and the least committed. At the end of Volume III is a "Défense de la nouvelle traduction de l'Histoire du Concile de Trente, contre les censures de quelques Prélats et de quelques Théologiens" by Le Courrayer, on pages 249 to 474. A fine copy of this historical text, complete in 3 volumes.