Medieval Notary Manuscripts & Law Books

THE CORNERSTONE OF EUROPEAN LAW: BARTOLO'S COLLECTED WORKS


1. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In primam Digesti vet. partem commentaria iurisconsul. principis Bar. à Saxo ferrato [...] Necnon additioni. Petripauli Parisij . Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
2. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In primam Infor. partem commentaria [...] Necnon additionibus Petripauli Parisij. Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
3. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In secundam Infor. partem commentaria [...] Necnon additionibus Petripauli Parisij. Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1556.
[unito a:]
4. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In primam Digesti novi partem commentaria iuriscons. principis Bar. a Saxo ferrato, in prima ff. Noui Partem [...] Necnon additioni. D. Petripauli Parisij . Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
5. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In secundam Digesti novi partem commentaria iuriscons. principis Bar. a Saxo ferrato, in secunda ff. Noui Partem [...] Necnon additioni. D. Petripauli Parisij . Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
6. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In primam Codicis partem commentaria [...] Necnon additionibus Petripauli Parisij . Venetiis, [all'insegna della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
7. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In secundam Codicis partem commentaria [...] Necnon additionibus Petripauli Parisij. Venetiis, [all'insegna della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
8. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. Consilia quaestiones, et tractatus. Cum additionibus Bernardini Landriani . Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.
[unito a:]
9. Bartolo da Sassoferrato. Bartoli In tres libris Cdicis [ sic ] commentaria [...] Necnon additionibus Petri Pauli Parisij . [legato con:] Bartoli Commentaria super Authenticis [legato con:] Reperto. in lecturas Bartoli. Index, seu Repertorium singulare in lecturas [...] Venetiis, [al segno della Corona], 1557.

11 works (out of 12) bound in 9 volumes, folio (430x273 mm), modern paper boards on hand-colored paper with purple label and gilt titles at spine, handwritten titles in Gothic type at lower edge, cc. 242; 214; 210; 194; 284; 213; 150; 216, [18]; 68, 66, [162].

At title page the device of Corona; printers names, thus the heirs of Lucantonio Giunta the elder, Gabriele Giolito De Ferrari, the heirs of Ottaviano Scoto the elder and Federico Torresano are obtained from the printer device inscribed in the border.

Scarce and sumptuous Venetian edition of the Opera Omnia by Bartolo da Sassoferrato, foundation of the european law.

The importance of his comments was kept in such a high rank to be considered comparable to Papiniano’s in the ancient world.

Missing the volume with the commentary to the second part of Digestum Vetus.

PRECIOUS GIUNTINE EDITION OF THE CORNERSTONE OF EUROPEAN LAW: BARTOLO'S COLLECTED WORKS


Bartolo da Sassoferrato. [1-2:] Bartolus a Saxoferrato In Primam [- Secundam] SS. Veteris Partem. Alexan. Barb. Paris. Claud. À Seissel. Poma. Io Franc. Rueren. Aliorumque Adnotationibus integris illustratus […] dignoscet. Venetiis (Venice): n.p. (but: Lucam Antonium Iuntam), 1580.
[together with, 3-4:]
Bartolus a Saxoferrato In Primam [- Secundam] Infortiati Partem […] dignoscet. Venetiis (Venice): n.p. (but: Lucam Antonium Iuntam), 1580-1581.
[together with, 5-6:]
Bartolus a Saxoferrato In Primam [- Secundam] SS. Novi Partem […] dignoscet. Venetiis (Venice): n.p. (but: Lucam Antonium Iuntam), 1580.
[together with, 7-8:]
Bartolus a Saxoferrato In Primam [- Secundam] Codicis Partem […] dignoscet. Venetiis (Venice): n.p. (but: Lucam Antonium Iuntam), 1580-1581.
[together with, 9:]
Bartolus a Saxoferrato In tres Codicis libros […] dignoscet. Venetiis (Venice): n.p. (but: Lucam Antonium Iuntam), 1580.
[together with, 10:]
Repertorium locupletissimum In omnes Bartoli a Saxo ferrato lecturas […] recognitum. Venetiis (Venice): apud Lucam Antonium Iuntam, 1567.

10 parts bound in 9 volumes in folio (cm 43 x 27); contemporary stiff vellum, with boards in limp vellum (older parchments re-used), four raised bands spine (traces of use, spots, water stains, neat repairs at spine and corners of some volumes), handwritten title at spine and Author's name (BARTOLUS) handwritten at almost all the volumes front boards; pp. 200; 150; 171; 177; 163; 250; 177; 124; 58; 170. The page numbering is progressively made at the recto of the leaves. Text in Latin, printed in two columns.

Title-pages in red and black types, with the renowned Giuntine device representing the Florentine lily, with the initials L. A.; the same printer device is engraved at the colophon of some volumes. An Author's portrait is engraved in an oval frame at the recto of the leaf A2r (p. 3) of the first volume ([…] In Primam SS. Veteris Partem […]); in this volume, there are also two large and nice engravings, representing the Arbor iurisdictionum (at the verso of p. 44) and the Arbor servitutum (at the recto of p. 180). Engraved headletters.

Giuntine edition of the complete set of Bartolo da Sassoferrato's collected works, in its original binding.

Bartolo da Sassoferrato (Sassoferrato, 1314 - Perugia, 1357), teacher of law at Perugia and Pisa, theologist and philosopher, was one of the more eminent jurist of the XIV century in Europe and one of the first exponents of the law school named "the commentators".In spite of his short life, he left many commentary works on Roman law, legal advices to private persons and treatises on specific subjects, among which that regarding the right of retaliation, considered one of the foundation texts of international private law in the following centuries. His comments were so much evaluated and respected to be compared to those of Papinianus, in ancient times.

A MASTERPIECE OF ITALIAN ENLIGHTENMENT, A REVOLUTIONARY BOOK AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY

Beccaria, Cesare. Dei delitti e delle pene: edizione rivista, corretta, e disposta secondo l'ordine della traduzione francese approuato dall'autore coll'aggiunta del commentario alla detta opera di Mr. de Voltaire tradotto da celebre autore. Londra [i.e. Venice?]: Presso la Società dei Filosofi, 1774.

8vo, contemporary half calf on marbled paper; pp. [2], xv, [1], 167, [1].
Engraved frontispiece containing an allegory against the death penalty, engraved title-page.

Very scarce edition, published with a false place of imprint, of the major text of Italian Enlightenment.

Beccaria argues that Punishment should be swift since this has the greatest deterrence value. He defends his view about the swiftness of punishment by appealing to the theory of the association of ideas (developed most notably by David Hume and David Hartley). According to associationists, if we know the rules by which the mind connects together two different ideas (such as the ideas of crime and punishment), then we can strengthen their association.

For Beccaria when a punishment quickly follows a crime, then the two ideas of "crime" and "punishment" will be more quickly associated in a person's mind. Also, the link between a crime and a punishment is stronger if the punishment is somehow related to the crime. Given the fact that the swiftness of punishment has the greatest impact on deterring others, Beccaria argues that there is no justification for severe punishments. In time we will naturally grow accustomed to increases in severity of punishment, and, thus, the initial increase in severity will lose its effect. There are limits both to how much torment we can endure, and also how much we can inflict.

Cesare Beccaria, Marquis of Gualdrasco and Villareggio (1738-1794) was an Italian criminologist, jurist, philosopher, politician and one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thinkers. He is best known for his treatise "On Crimes and Punishments" (1764), which condemned torture and the death penalty, and was a founding work in the field of penology and the Classical School of criminology. He promoted criminal justice. Cesare Beccaria's book, "On Crimes and Punishments", had a profound influence on the Founding Fathers of the United States, including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Wilson, Dr. Benjamin Rush, and others.

Provenance: A blue stamp of a ring of an ancient (monogram not identified) owner at title-page.

References: OCLC 173651625.

SCARCE EDITION OF BELLARMATI'S COMMENTARIES ON INHERITANCE LAW

BELLARMATI, MARCUS ANTONIUS. Marcus Antonius Bellarmatus i.v. doctor Senensis Dum legatorum materiam anno 1552 in patrio gymnasio publice interpretaretur haec in Rub. & l. 1 de lega. 1 considerabat. Impressum Pataui, ad instantiam de Hieronymum Gylbertum, 1552 (Padua, Giberti, 1552).

8vo, ancient paperboards, pp. [4], 72 [i.e. 68].

Scarce edition, printed in Padua, of Bellarmati commentaries on Inheritance Law, especially regarding the role of the testamentary executors.

References: OCLC locates only 3 copies worldwide, 9 copies in Italy (ICUU).

VERY SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT TREATISE ON SET-OFF AND COUNTERCLAIM

Bersani, Bartolomeo.Tractatus de compensationibus, authore I.C. Bartholomaeo Bersano ex oppido Hortae diaecesis Nouariae. In quo omnia ferme dubia, quae circa hanc quotidianam materiam occurrunt diligenti studio fidelissime enucleantur. Opus omnibus iudicibus, causarum patronis, & singulis in foro versantibus nedum vtile, sed propemodum necessarium. Cum indicibus lucupletissimis, tum argumentorum, & quaestionum, tum etiam omnium materiarum.Mediolani: ex typographia Caroli Iosephi Quinti, 1691.

Folio, contemporary stiff vellum with handwritten title on raised bands spine, pp. [12], 263, [72].
Title in red and black, woodcut headletters, woodcut head and tail pieces.

Very rare first edition, printed in Milan, of this important treatise on Set off & counterclaim.

In law, a set-off is an equitable defence to the whole or to a portion of a plaintiff's claim. A setoff is the right of a creditor to balance mutual debts with a debtor. In bookkeeping terms, setoffs are also known as reconciliations. To determine a setoff, simply subtract the smaller debt from the larger. Any balance remaining due either of the parties is still owed, but the remainder of the mutual debts has been set off.

The work also contains a catalogue with all the authors that previously wrote on this topic.

Bartolomeo Bersani (or Bersano) was born in Novara (Piedmont) and was lawyer in Milan. He also published a treatise on the rights of widows (1692).

References: L. A. Cotta, Museo Novarese, Milano, 1701, p. 76, no. 222. OCLC 79628780 locates only two copies in US libraries of this edition, at University of California Berkeley Law Library and University of Kansas Archives (Kenneth Spencer Research Library). Not present on the market for many years.

SCARCE SECOND EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT TREATISE ON SET-OFF AND COUNTERCLAIM

Bersani, Bartolomeo.Tractatus de compensationibus: in quo omnia ferme dubia, quae circa hanc quotidianam materiam occurrunt diligenti studio enucleantur.Venetiis: Ex typographia Balleonii, 1717.

Folio, contemporary stiff vellum with paperboards spine, paper label and handwritten title, pp. [8], 117, [30] .
Woodcut headletters, woodcut head and tail pieces.

Rare second edition, printed in Venice, of this important treatise on Set off & counterclaim.

In law, a set-off is an equitable defence to the whole or to a portion of a plaintiff's claim. A setoff is the right of a creditor to balance mutual debts with a debtor. In bookkeeping terms, setoffs are also known as reconciliations. To determine a setoff, simply subtract the smaller debt from the larger. Any balance remaining due either of the parties is still owed, but the remainder of the mutual debts has been set off.

The work also contains a catalogue with all the authors that previously wrote on this topic.

Bartolomeo Bersani (or Bersano) was born in Novara (Piedmont) and was lawyer in Milan. He also published a treatise on the rights of widows (1692).

References: L. A. Cotta, Museo Novarese, Milano, 1701, p. 76, no. 222. OCLC 21741906 locates only two copies of this second edition, at Library of Congress and Columbia University Law School, Diamond Law Library.Not present on the market for many years.

FIRST EDITION OF BORCHOLTEN'S COMMENTARIES OF CIVIL LAW

Borcholten, Johannes. Disputationum Ordinariarum, pars prima (- secunda). Edita a Statio Borcholten. Helmaestadii, Excudebat Iacobus Lucius, Anno 1597.

Two parts in a 4to volume (195x153 mm), contemporary limp vellum, pp. [8], 445; pp. [8], 471, [1]. Engraved head-letters and head and tail-pieces.

First edition of the commentaries to the civil law by the famous German jurist, pupil of the renowned Cujas and scholar at the universities of Rostock and Helmstadt. The work, structured in form of disputationes encompasses the whole matter of the civil law.

Provenance: Handwritten index at the first fly-leaf and some manuscript contemporary notes.

References:OCLC 56416561 locates only a copy in US libraries at Newberry Library (Chicago).

SCARCE COLLECTION OF COUNSELS ON FEUDAL LAW
NOT IN USA

[Feudal Law] BRUNO, ALBERTO-DE PINARDIS, MARCO ANTONIO. Consiliorum feudalium d. Alberti Bruni ... Volumen primum –secundum. Olim quidem impressa sed nunc a multis mendis castigata per d. Marcum Antonium de Pinardis. Venetiis, apud Iacob. Ant. & Iulium Somasch. fratres, 1579 (Venice: Somasco brothers, 1579).

2 parts bound in a thick folio volume (295 x 202 mm), contemporary limp vellum, calligraphic title in red and black at lower edge, ff. [48],182; [56], 114.

Two separate title-pages with a large woodcut device, text in Roman type on two columns, fine woodcut head-letters.

Very scarce enlarged and ultimate edition (213 consilia) of the corpus of Counsels on Feudal Law by the famous Piedmont lawyer, complete also of the second volume that was printed for the first time only in 1575.

The work is enriched by the presence of counsels on feudal law by other renowned lawyers of the time.

References: CNCE 7706. Not in USA. Out of Italy, OCLC locates only 3 copies worldwide, none in USA.

SCARCE AND IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF TREATISES ON TORTURE

Bruni, Francesco (and others).Tractatus tres de indicijs et tortvra d. Francisci Bruni ... d. Guidonis de Suzaria ... cum additi d. Ludouici Bolognini ... & d. Baldi de Periglis ... in vnum redactiRomae [apud d. Hieronymam de Cartulariis, sumptibus Michaelis Tramezini] 1543.

8vo, contemporary limp vellum, ff. [14], 116.

Scarce and important collection of law treatises on torture: besides Bruni's work, there are the treaties of Baldo de Perigli, Lodovico Bolognini and Guido de Suzaria.

References: CNCE 7666. OCLC 82012248 locates only two copies in US libraries, at Harvard Law School Library and University of California, Los Angeles.

UNOCOMMON GERMAN IMPRINT OF CACCIALUPI'S TREATISE ON FEUDAL LAW

Caccialupi, Giovanbattista. D. Ioannis Baptistae Caccialupi Sanctoseverinatis VI. Doctoris Clarissimi, Docta & elegans Repetitio in c. de feudi cognitione, in usibus F. : quae iam multis annis non impressa tandem correctior cum singularum partium argumentis & summariis emersit. Huic Accesserunt Feudorum Observationes Practicae cum in Imperialis Camerae, tum in alijs iudicijs collectae et obseruatae. Adiecto omnium rerum obseruatu dignarum indice nouo.. Coloniae (Köln): Birckmann, 1571.

8vo, later stiff vellum from a manuscript in Hebrew language, handwritten title at spine, pp. [16], 227, [19].
Text in Latin with some word in German.
Editor's dedication dated Dec. 5, 1570, and signed: Ernestus Steuerman Monasteriensis.
Refined woodcut headletters.

Uncommon German imprint of this treatise on Feudal Law of the great Italian jurist of the Renaissance.

References: OCLC 21675850 locates only two copies of this edition in USA, at Library of Congress and Harvard Law Library.

THE PAPAL BULLS OF BENEDICT XIV
ONLY TWO COMPLETE COPIES IN USA

[Canon Law, Bulls] Benedict XIV (Lambertini, Prospero). Bullarium. Venice: Bartolomeo Occhi, 1777.

7 vols in 4to, half calf, two leather labels at spine with gilt titles.

The important collected edition of the papal bulls and decrees issued by pope Benedict XIV from 1746 to 1751.

CONTENT:

1: Tomus primus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1746, pp. xvi, 224.
2: Tomus secundus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1746, pp. xii, 228.
3: Tomus tertius, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1748, pp. viii, 232.
4: Tomus quartus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1748, pp. iv, 231, [1].
5: Tomus quintus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1748, pp. 250 [i.e. 240].
6: Tomus sextus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque editaab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1750, pp. 224.
7: Tomus septimus, in quo continentur constitutiones, epistolae, aliaque edita ab initio pontificatus usque ad annum 1751, pp. 273 [i.e. 303], [1]

Graduated in teology and law at the University of Rome, Prospero Lambertini as bishop of Bologna demonstrated to be not only a skilled jurist ad a scholar, but also a cleric moved by a true and deep vocation. His papal election took place in a period of serious tribulations and his action earned him the nickname of “the pope of the compromises”. He reorganized the Vatican finances, the public safety, promoted cartography with the redefinition of the Roman wards, instituted a first census of the noble families of Rome by the bull Urbem Romam and began a reformation of all the clergy’s classes.

Provenance: Presentation copy from the Count Bevilacqua from Verona (his signature at each title-page).

References: ICCU, 019123. OCLC locates only two complete copies in USA (Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania).

THE SOURCES OF CANON LAW:
THE DECRETALS OF POPE BONIFACE VIII
THE CONSTITUTIONS OF POPE CLEMENT V
THE EXTRAVAGANTES OF POPE JOHN XXII

[Canon Law, Corpus Iuris Canonici] Bonifacius VIII, Pope. Liber sextus decretalium d. Bonifacii papae VIII suae integritati vna cum Clementinis & Extrauagantibus, earumque glossis restitutus. Venetiis, 1584.

bound with:

Clemens V, Pope. Clementis papae V Constitutiones suae integritati vna cum glossis restitutae. Venetiis, 1584 (Venetiis: apud Petrum Dusinellum, expensis Societatis, 1584).

bound with:

Johannes XXII, Pope.Extravagantes tum viginti d. Ioannis papae XXII. Tum communes suae integritati vna cum glossis restitutae. Venetiis, 1584.

3 volumes bound in-4to, contemporary stiff vellum with handwritten title at spine, [2] pp., 872 columns, [7] pp. 350 columns, 368, [28].

Illustrations: Woodcut portrait of Gregory XIII on each title-page; woodcut diagrams of consanguinity & affinity on pp. after col. 872; woodcut of presentation of book to Gregory on p. 4 of prelims. to Extravagantes.

Scarce and beautiful illustrated edition of the whole Corpus Iuris Canonici, shared by the printers Dusinello, Ferrario and Franzino, entirely printed in black and red.

Provenance: Contemporary ownership’s inscription Ex libris Johannis Baptistae Dolphino at title-page.

References: Censimento, CNCE 13413 and 13414.