L'Alcoran des Cordeliers. Tant en latin qu'en François. C'est à dire Recueil des plus notables bourdes & blasphemes de ceux qui ont osé comparer Sainct François à Jesus Christ: tiré du grand livre des Conformitez, jadis composé par frère Barthelemi de Pise, Cordelier en son vivant

First illustrated edition of a work that was initially published in 1542 in Wittenberg. 2 frontispieces and 21 engravings by Bernard Picard representing hagiographical episodes from the life of Saint Francis. Cohen, 5. Red and black title pages. The half-title in an engraved border by Picard bears the date 1733.
Contemporary full navy morocco bindings. Smooth Jansenist spine. Series of hatchings on the leading edges. Edges gilt. Spines slightly faded. Handsome binding, quite rare.
Famous pamphlet, particularly violent, against the book by Barthelemy de Pise which highlighted the similarities between the life of Jesus Christ and the life of Saint Francis. The book begins with a preface by Conrad Badius and Martin Luther, very insulting towards the Papists and Cordeliers. The work is in Latin and French, it reprises the hagiographical account of Saint Francis while adding footnotes and extremely severe and virulent criticisms. More generally, the book is a direct attack against Catholics by Protestants, accusing them of heresies, abominations, satanism... « Car il (ce livre) est tel, que quand hommes et diables dégorgeraient leurs poisons exécrables tous contre Dieu, ils n'en sauraient plus dire qu'un moine seul en a osé écrire » (For it [this book] is such, that when men and devils would pour out all their execrable poisons against God, they could not say more than what one monk alone has dared to write) Conrad Badius.