Folio; 290x210 mm.; [2] leaves, woodcut initial and tailpiece. Disbound, as issued, but with traces of having been in a binding for some time. Slight browning, a few stains. Good copy.
Very rare pamphlet. The letter describes how, at the request of the population, the image of the Madonna del Fuoco (Our Lady of the Fire) was moved for a few days from its usual place and exposed to the public on the altar of the cathedral and brought to procession, to ask her to stop the continuous earthquake tremors and to interrupt the drought that had been afflicting the city for two months. The prayers of the faithful were answered: the earthquake tremors, although continuing uninterrupted in the nearby cities, stopped completely and a heavy rain fell, which only stopped for the duration of the procession. The image of the Madonna del Fuoco is an early 15th century handcoloured woodcut, one of the oldest still existent, and depicts a Madonna with child surrounded by annunciation and crucifixion scenes, and various saints.