[INCUNABULUM] - NICOLAS DE LYRE. Postilla Nicolai de Lira super quattuor Evangelistas. Mantua: Paulus Butzbach, 24 July 1477. - folio, 270 x 195 : [243 ff. (of 244, mq the first blank)] [sig. a9 (of 10) b-g10/8 h-p8/10 q-y8 &10 x8 z8 ii8 kk8 s8 j10]. Imitation fawn calf, decorated on the boards with a cold framing composed of fillets and a large interlaced roulette as well as filigree irons in the centre, spine ribbed with intersecting cold fillets (modern binding). Goff, N130. - BMC, VII, 931. - Polain, 2828. - Proctor, 6894. Rare incunabula edition of the postilles or commentaries of the theologian and exegete Nicolas de Lyre (c. 1270-1349) on the 4 Gospels, with additions and commentaries by the Dominican Paul de Sainte-Marie (1350-1439) and replies by the Franciscan Mathias Döring (1390?-1469). These replicas were intended to defend Nicholas de Lyre against the arguments of Paul de Sainte-Marie; they provide a perfect illustration of the confrontation that existed at the time between two theological schools and two families of thought. This is one of the very first editions to contain Mathias Döring's Replicae. It comes from the presses of Paulus Butzbach in Mantua, printed in Gothic letters on two columns of 50 lines. This printer, active from 1472 to 1481, produced 4 other editions of Nicolas de Lyre, in the same year (Postilla super Psalterium), on 28 April 1478 (Postilla super Epistolis b. Pauli), on 30 March 1480 (Postilla super Actus apostolorum Epistolas canonicales Apocalypsim cum additionibus) and on 29 April 1481 (Moralia super totam Bibliam). All editions of Nicolas de Lyre published before 1480 are very rare. This copy is complete except for the first blank page. The latter was not signed; the signature begins on the second leaf, the first printed. The leaves signed a1, a2, a3 and a4 are therefore the second, third, fourth and fifth leaves of the first quire, a peculiarity well mentioned in bibliographies. The quires ii, kk, s and & have been misplaced and should appear after the quires i, k, s (old form) and z respectively. A copy in modern imitation binding from the library of the American antiquarian bookseller Walter Goldwater (1908-1985). It contains old annotations, almost all erased; only a few headlines remain. Some stains and soiling to the leaves. Tear and restoration to folio n9 without affecting the text. Provenance: Walter Goldwater (1908-1985), with his bookplate.