Note 312 — III The Sixteenth Century [1502-80]

It was characteristic of the hot-house air in which Portuguese literature existed that the first publication of a book often consisted in its circulation (correr) in manuscript from courtier to courtier, a special licence being obtained for this apart from the licence to print. Those to whom it appealed made copies. The earliest known edition of Menina e moça is of 1557-8: Primeira & segũda parte do liuro chamado as Saudades de Bernaldim Ribeiro com todas suas obras. Treladado de seu propria original. Nouamente impresso. 1557 (Euora. The date of the colophon is January 30, 1558). An introductory note Aos lectores says: Foram tantos os traduzidores deste liuro & os pareceres em elle tam diuersos que nam he de marauilhar que na primeira impressam desta historia se achassem tantas cousas em contrario de como foram pello auctor delle escriptas ... foy causa de andar este liuro tam vicioso ... conueo tirarse a limpo do propria original, &c., &c.). The edition of 1554, quoted by Brunet, was probably the first in spite of the words com summa diligencia emendada (i.e. corrections of the manuscript). The phrase de nouo tells more against than in favour of an earlier edition (= rather ‘new’ than ‘anew’).