Medieval Notary Manuscripts & Law Books

THE CATHOLIC MARRIAGE LAW IN ITALY AND AUSTRIA IN 19TH CENTURY

NARDI FRANCESCO. Diritto matrimoniale cattolico. Aggiuntevi le leggi intorno al matrimonio promulgata nell'Impero d'Austria. Padova: Prosperini 1857.

8vo, contemporary marbled stiff paperboards, pp. 397.

First and only edition of this treatise of Canon and Marriage Law in Italy and the Austrian Empire according to the Catholic thought.

References: OCLC 793590562.

VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF TREATISES ON COMMERCIAL LAW, ESPECIALLY ON SURETYSHIP AND GUARANTY, PLEDGES AND MORTGAGES

Negusanti, Antonio (and others).Selecti tractatus iuris varij, vere aurei, in frequentissima & vtilissima materia assecurationis et cautionis, diuersorum clarissimorum v.i. luminum, veterum & recentium: iura pignorum et hypothecarum, fideiussionum, excussionum ... exactissimè complectentes. Venetijs (Venice): Excudebat Bartholomaeus Rubinus, 1570.

Folio, contemporary stiff vellum, pp. [44], 581, [1].
Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials.

Very rare second edition (the first was printed by the same Rubino in 1566) of this important collection of 22 Renaissance treatises of Commercial Law, especially devoted to suretyship and guaranty, pledges and mortgages.

The collection had an incredible success in Venice and Padua Universities: to satisfy the request, this 1570 edition was shared by four Venetian printers (Rubino, Francesco de Franceschi, Damiano Zenari and Sessa's heirs) that published four issues.

LIST OF THE AUTHORS AND THEIR WORKS:
Antonio Negusanti: De pignoribus et hypothecis
Hugues Doneau: De pignoribus et hypothecis
François Baudin: De pignoribus et hypothecis
Pieter van der Aa: De priuilegijs
Ippolito de Marsigli: De fideiussoribus, sumptus ex repetitione.
Giacomo de Arena: De excussione bonorum
Benedetto Barci da Piombino: De discussionibus
Jost de Damhoudere: De subhastatione
Giambattista Caccialupi: De debitore suspecto, et fugitivo
Pierre Peck: De iure sistendi, et manuum iniectione
Baldo degli Ubaldi: De carceribus
Jacopo Canis: De iniurijs et damno dato
Martino Garrati: De repressalijs
Pedro de Santarem: De assecurationibus et sponsionibus mercatorum
Domenico de Arena: De sequestrationibus
Francesco Corti: Tractatus sequestrorum
Angelo Peruzzi: Tractatus authenticus sequestrorum
Giovanni de Grassi: De cessione iuris et actionum fienda
Giacomo de Arena: De cessione actionum
Jacopo Bottrigari: Tractatus singularissimus renunciationum iuris ciuilis
Matteo Bruni: De cessione bonorum.
Anonymous: Tractatus cessionum incerto authore

Provenance: Signature of the 18th century Verona lawyer Cesare Malfatti at title-page.

References: CNCE 29764. OCLC 79628785 locates in USA only the copy at University of California (Berkeley Law Library). No copies on the market.

SCARCE GERMAN EDITION OF THE STANDARD TREATISE ON PLEDGES AND MORTGAGE
NO COPY IN USA

Negusanti, Antonio.D. Antonii Negusantii ... Tractatus de pignoribus et hypothecis in quo omnes propemodùm casus: qui in controversiam venire possun. Coloniae Agrippinae: Apud Sebastianum Ketteler, 1699.

4to, attractive contemporary pigsking over wooden boards, blind-tooled decorations at covers, three raised bands spine, brass clasps preserved, blue edges, 1 preliminary leaf, 226 (i.e., 634), [25] pages.
Title in red and black, woodcut device, woodcut head-letters, woodcut head and tail pieces.

Very scarce German edition of Negusanti's treatise on pledges and mortgage, first published in 1526, that was a standard work for several generations of lawyers throughout Europe.

References: OCLC 220757285 locates very few copies of this edition, none in US libraries.

THE "GOLDEN TREATISE": A STANDARD RENAISSANCE HANDBOOK OF CRIMINAL LAW
NO COPY IN USA OF THIS EDITION

Novelli, Jacopo. Tractatus Aureus defensionem omnium reorum adversusquascunque accusationes et inquisitiones pro quibuscunque criminibus docens, tum ad theoricam iuris, tum ad comunem omnium tribunalium uniuersae Europae stilum & praxim accommodatus. Iacobo Nouello iureconsulto authore. Adiectis summariis ac indice copiosiss. Nunc primum in lucem prodit. [...]. Venetiis apud Baltassarem Constantinum ad signum diui Georgii, 1552.

8vo (152x105 mm), ancient stiff vellum, label with gilt title at spine, blue edges, ff. 116, [16].

Second, increased edition (after the first one of 1549) of this standard handbook of criminal law, containing the important elements useful for the public and private prosecutions of the guilty party.

Provenienza: Several not identified contemporary annotations.

References: CNCE 25174. There are two editions printed this year, the second one being with a different foliation and without printer's name (and the “fountain supported by winged putti” device). OCLC 50198505 (the copy of the Library of Congress) locates in USA libraries three copies of this anonymous issue (the others at Harvard Law Library and University of Michigan Law Library) and no copy of this Costantini edition.

OINOTOMUS' RENOWNED COMMENTARY TO THE JUSTINIAN'S INSTITUTIONS

Oinotomus, Johannes. Ioannis Oinotomi iurisconsulti in quatuor Institutionum imperialium Iustiniani imp. libros commentarij : nunc primum ... castigati ac emendati prodeunt ... : necnon indice rerum omnium copiosissimo. Venetiis: apud Benedictum Milochum, 1678.

Folio, contemporary limp vellum (some tears at covers), pp. [4], 608, [52].
Text in Latin, printed in two columns.
Title-page in red and black types, woodcut head and -tail pieces, woodcut head-letters.

The renowned commentary to the Justinian's Institutions written by Joannes Oinotomos (Johann Schneidewein), first printed in 1573 and re-issued many times along the following two centuries.
The text is organized according to the theories of Protestant Reform, whose application Martin Luther charged Philip Melanchton.

Johann Schneidewein (1519-1568), was a famous German jurist, scholar of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. He followed his teacher all along his life, obtaining prestigious political and academic tasks, in the German protestant electorate. He considered a fake the donation of Constantine and, consequently, he deemed illegitimate the temporal power of the Roman papacy.

Provenance: Ownership inscriptions (not identified) at title-page.

References: OCLC 797825520 locates only a copy of this edition in US libraries, at University of California Berkeley Law Library.

OINOTOMUS' RENOWNED COMMENTARY TO THE JUSTINIAN'S INSTITUTIONS

Oinotomus, Johannes. Joannis Oinotomi ... in quator Institutionum imperialium Justiniani imp. libros commentarii in usum juris studiosorum. Venetiis, typis Petri Savioni, prostant apud Joannem Baptistam Pasquali, 1762.

Folio, contemporary half vellum on colored paper,2 preliminary leaves, pp. 615, [1] .
Text in Latin, printed in two columns.
Title vignette (Pasquali's device, with motto: Litterarum felicitas).
At end: Noi riformatori dello studio di Padova. Concedemo licenza a Pietro Savioni stampator di Venezia poter ristampare il libro intitolato Joannis Oinotomi ... Comentarij &c. osservando gli ordini soliti in materia di stampe, & presentando le copie alle pubbliche librarie di Venezia, e di Padova. Dat. li 13. Maggio 1760. Angelo Contarini ... Bernardo Nani ... Francesco Morosini ... Registrato in libro a cart 50. al num. 303 Gio: Girolamo Zuccato, segretario.
Title-page in red and black types, woodcut head and -tail pieces, woodcut head-letters.

The renowned commentary to the Justinian's Institutions written by Joannes Oinotomos (Johann Schneidewein), first printed in 1573 and re-issued many times along the following two centuries.
To this edition are added the addition of the French juruist Denis Godefroy.

The text is organized according to the theories of Protestant Reform, whose application Martin Luther charged Philip Melanchton.

Johann Schneidewein (1519-1568), was a famous German jurist, scholar of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. He followed his teacher all along his life, obtaining prestigious political and academic tasks, in the German protestant electorate. He considered a fake the donation of Constantine and, consequently, he deemed illegitimate the temporal power of the Roman papacy.

References: OCLC 3833087.

THE LIFE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JURIST OF THE CLASSIC ERA

Otto, Everard. Papinianus, sive de vita, studiis, scriptis, moribus et morte Aemilii Papiniani, Jurisconsultorum coryphaei, diatriba. Lugduni Batavorum (Leiden), Apud Samuelem Luchtmans, 1718.

8vo (150x86 mm), modern stiff vellum binding, edges originally colored in red, pp. [16], 439, [25, last two blanks]. Xylographic headletters and decorations at first leaves.

First edition on the life and work of Aemilius Papinianus, the most important jurist in the classic era, edited and detailed by Everard Otto.

Papinianus (ca. 212) deeply influenced the Roman Law in his role as advisor and prefect at Pretorio under Settimio Severo. After his murder, probably ordered by Caracalla because of his refusal to defend the Emperor from the charge of fratricide, his books of questiones , responsa and definitiones gained great fame and were inserted in the Corpus Iuris Civilis and in the Law of Citations or Oratio Valentiniani ad Senatum, stating that his opinions had value of law.

Everard Otto (1685-1756) was a German jurist and teacher of Civil Law at the Duisburg and Utrecht University. He wrote many treatise on Civil and Roman Law and on Latin History; among the other works he wrote a biography of the roman jurisconsultant Servio Sulpizio Rufo (1737), the Thesaurus juris Romani continens rariora meliorum interpretum opuscula (1725-1729) and Sam. Pufendorfius de officio hominis et civis cum eius annotationibus (1737).

Provenance: sepia ink ownership signature N.J.D. Kermedij (?) at upper margin of titlepage.

References: OCLC 672647586.

A FUNDAMENTAL TREATISE ON LEASES AND TENANCY

Pacioni, Pietro.Petri Pacioni ... Tractatus de locatione, et conductione ... Huic Venetae editioni accedunt nonnullae Sacrae Rotae Romanae recentissimae Decisiones ad materiam facientes.. Venetiis (Venice): Apud Paulum Balleonium, 1700.

Folio, half vellum on marbled paper with handwritten title at spine, pp. [24], 440, [92].
Text on two columns, woodcut device, woodcut head-letters, woodcut head and tail pieces.

Scarce Venetian edition of Pacioni's fundamental and comprehensive treatise on leases, tenancy, contracts and related subjects in Roman and Canon law (first published in 1677).

Funny the question referred to Chapter LX: «If the owner have to ensure the tenant for the discomfort caused by the appearance of the spirits».

References: OCLC 860628044 locates very few copies of this edition, none in US libraries.

FIRST EDITION OF PAILLIET'S HANDBOOK OF FRENCH CIVIL, COMMERCIAL AND CRIMINAL LAW
AFTER NAPOLEON'S ERA

Pailliet, Jean Baptiste Joseph. Manuel de droit civil commercial et criminal, mise en rapport avec la legislation et la jurisprudence de Belgique . Bruxelles, Librairie de Jurisprudence di H.Tarlier, 1833.

First edition of Pailliet's Manual of French Civil, Criminal and Commercial Law, with the related procedures.
The manual is integrated by an History of the Law since Roman time to 1830, and by the Belgian Constitution.

Jean-Esprit-Marie-Pierre Lemoine de Villeneuve (XVIII-XIX century) was lawyer at the Royal Court, and commissioner of French Republic after the Revolution.

References: IT\ICCU\PUV\0443078 (2 copies). OCLC, 5828236.

THE MOST FAMOUS JURIDICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

PANCIROLI,GUIDO. Notitia vtraque dignitatum cum Orientis, tum Occidentis vltra Arcadij, Honorijque tempora. Et in eam Guidi Panciroli ... Commentarium. In quo ciuiles militaresque magistratus, ac Palatinae dignitates, cum omnium officijs explicantur: ... Item De magistratibus municipalibus eiusdem auctoris liber. ... Cum duplici indice, vno capitum, altero insignium rerum copiosissimo. Lugduni, ex officina H. a Porta.Apud Io. De Gabiano, 1608.

Five parts in a volume in folio, 18th century half calf binding, ff. [16], 208 [48].

Profusely illustrated with 92 large-size woodcuts.

The most famous illustrated juridical-administrative history of the Roman Empire, carefully describing it the central and peripheral government functions and the territorial organization.

It also includes his De magistratibus, at the end of the volume with a separate title-page.

Provenance: Some not identified contemporary annotations.

References: Adams, P356.

FIRST EDITION OF GUY DE LA PAPE'S COMMENTARY ON THE DECRETALS

DE LA PAPE, GUY. Guido Pape super decretales: lectura singularis [et] aurea d[omi]ni Guidonis Pape co[n]sulis Dalphinalis super decretales : in qua singulares [et] aute[n]tice materie exanclantur : cu[m] additionibus, co[n]cordantiis, numeris summariis ante capi. et para. affixis quatenus cu[n]cta elucesca[n]t : necno[n] cu[m] repertorio alphabetico d[omi]ni Joan[n]is Thierry Lingone[n]sis. Impressum Lugduni (Lyon): Impensis Symonis Vincentij, arte [et] industria Anthonij du Ry, sub anno D[omi]ni 1517, nono Kalendas Januarias.

4to, later vellum from a manuscript, [8], CXCV [i.e. 191], [1] leaves.
Woodcut ornamental title-page, printed in red and black. Woodcut head-letters. Text in Gothic type.

First edition of Pape's commentary on Decretales: the discussion is based primarily but not exclusively on selected titles of the Decretals.

The Decretales, or Decretals of Pope Gregory IX are an important source of medieval canon law, collected by the dominican St. Raymond of Peñafort under the order of the same Gregory IX; they are composed of five books, each one divided in several tituli (titles).

Provenance: Crossed out signature at title-page.

References: OCLC 33078351.

FINE LYON EDITION OF GUY DE LA PAPE'S COLLECTION OF THE DECISIONS OF GRENOBLE PARLIAMENT

DE LA PAPE, GUY. Dn. Guidonis Papae I. V. doc. clarissimi, Decisiones Grationopolitanae. Summarijs denuo, additionibusque illustratae, adiecto ad calcem libri rerum ac uerborum indice locupletissimo.. Lugduni : apud haeredes Iacobi Iuntae, 1554.

8vo, contemporary limp vellum (remounted and with a restored tear at spine), ties renewed, pp. 828 [i.e. 838], [66].
Woodcut Giunti device. Woodcut head-letters.

Fine Giuntine edition of the law reports of the Parliament of Grenoble collected by Pape, published for the first time in 1528.

Provenance: Signature Horatij Bertacchij at title-page.

References: OCLC 38700404 apparently locates only a copy in US libraries of this edition, in Stanford University Libraries.