Gregorii de Valentia, Societatis Iesu, Oratio de veris ac falsis rerum divinarum doctoribus discernendis

A decorative headpiece features floral and foliate scrollwork.

GREGORIO
DE VALENCIA,
TO THE PIOUS READER, GREETINGS.

A large decorative drop cap 'F' features intricate floral and foliate patterns.IT HAPPENS AGAINST MY
expectation, excellent READER, that
the oration which was recently written
by me, not so that I might release it to
the public, but so that I might pronounce it
solely at the celebration of our School,
(since, by the office imposed upon me by my
colleagues, I was to pronounce the Reverend and Most
Illustrious man PETER STEVART, pastor at the church of Saint
MAURICE, as DOCTOR of Theology) it is now being committed to types and the press. For even if the subject matter, which I had
chosen for that oration, seemed grave and useful in itself,
nevertheless I did not think it was treated by me with the dignity
it deserved to merit human sight, and there was certainly at
hand an opportunity, in another book which is now in my
hands, to explain nearly everything that I had cast into that
oration for the benefit, such as it is, of my neighbors. But since there were very many grave and learned men who thought that this oration could be read with profit, not just heard, if it were edited as it was, and for that reason strove with great zeal that I should provide a copy of it, I feared that if I resisted their will and counsel, I might deservedly appear to be
A 2