2° (191 x 291mm). Large woodcut of King Ferdinand the Catholic, with floral sidepieces on title, woodcut historiated and decorative initials opening each part. (Washed, some paper repairs, title reinforced on verso, last leaf partly restored with loss of a few letters.) Modern vellum, lettered on spine in manuscript. Provenance: some early annotations.

RARE FIRST EDITION of the official apology for the conquest of Navarre. The Kingdom was invaded in 1512 by Ferdinand the Catholic as part of the second phase of the War of the League of Cambrai. The invasion began in Vitoria, capital of the Basque Country, and continued towards Pamplona. The Navarrese Cortes (Parliament) had to accept annexation to Castile, which agreed to permit Navarrese autonomy and identity. Juan López de Palacios Rubios was most famous for his Requerimiento, a document read to the New World Indians by Conquistadors to recognise the sovereignty of the Spanish monarch. Norton corrected previous identifications of this edition and assigns it to Biel de Basilea at Burgos, active c. 1515-17. No copy has appeared at auction in over 30 years. Palau 141652; BL Spanish, p.53; Haeb. 509; Salva 3721; Norton, Spain, 294.