ALFONSO XI. Libro dela monteria, edited by Gonzalo Argote de Molina. Seville: Andrea Pescioni, 1582. Small 2° (275 x 194mm). Woodcut royal arms on title, 35 woodcut illustrations, some repeated, ornamental initials, with the blank M6, printer’s device at end and final blank. (Title lightly stained and with two small holes, closed tear in lower margin of (?)3 affecting one line of text, long closed tear in D4 affecting eleven lines of text, K8 with etar into text and old laminated repair on verso, lower corner of 2¶5 torn away, outer margin of last three text leaves with laminated repairs, colophon leaf with two marginal repairs, a few margins lightly waterstained, some leaves browned.) 20th century red morocco by Josefina L. Diez, lavishly stamped in gilt and blind in 17th-century Spanish-style, title in centre within interlacing borders, gilt and gauffered edges (extremities lightly rubbed). FIRST PRINTING OF THE EARLIEST SPANISH BOOK ON THE CHACE. Written in circa 1342, it has been traditionally attributed to Alfonso XI (1311-1350), King of Castile and Leon. Many of the woodcuts depict boar and bear hunting, but they are wide ranging and also show the hunting of leopards and lions in the orient, tiger hunting in Mexico and ostrich hunting in Peru; the final cut shows a bullfight. Harting describes the work as of 'extreme rarity' and Souhart likewise calls it 'fort rare'. Gutierrez de la Vega 115; Harting 242; Palau 16167; Schwerdt I, 44; Souhart 24; Streeter 4080.