Medieval Notary Manuscripts & Law Books

DEMOSTHENES’ HARANGUES: THE ACME OF THE ART OF PERSUASION
THE FRANCESCO GUASTAVILLANI COPY

ONLY TWO COPIES IN USA

DEMOSTHENES. Le Filippiche di Demostene illustrate con Osservazioni, e Prefazione Istorica a S. E. il signor Francesco Grimani senatore amplissimo [...]. In Venezia, appresso Pietro Bassaglia, MDCCXLIV [Venice: Pietro Bassaglia, 1744].

A thick volume in-8vo (155x90 mm), contemporary stiff vellum, six raised bands with handwritten title at spine, sprinkled red edges pp. [32], 140, 485, [1, blank].

TWO ENGRAVINGS IN RED, THE FIRST ONE AT FRONTISPIECE, REPRESENTING THE COATS OF ARMS OF THE NOBLE VENETIAN FAMILY GRIMANI, AND THE OTHER ONE AT TITLE-PAGE WITH THE PRINTER’S DEVICE.

FINE VENETIAN EDITION OF DEMOSTHENES HARANGUES AGAINST PHILIP II OF MACEDON, THE ACME OF ANCIENT ART OF PERSUASION AND A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR THE AUTHORS OF THE «FEDERALIST PAPERS» OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.

This edition has a long historical preface about the History of Macedon.

DEMOSTHENES (384–322 BC), was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC.. He delivered his first judicial speeches at the age of 20, in which he argued effectively to gain from his guardians what was left of his inheritance. For a time, Demosthenes made his living as a professional speech-writer (logographer) and a lawyer, writing speeches for use in private legal suits.

He went on to devote his most productive years to opposing Macedon’s expansion. He idealized his city and strove throughout his life to restore Athens’ supremacy and motivate his compatriots against Philip II of Macedon. He sought to preserve his city’s freedom and to establish an alliance against Macedon, in an unsuccessful attempt to impede Philip’s plans to expand his influence southwards by conquering all the Greek states. After Philip’s death, Demosthenes played a leading part in his city’s uprising against the new King of Macedon, Alexander the Great. However, his efforts failed and the revolt was met with a harsh Macedonian reaction. To prevent a similar revolt against his own rule, Alexander’s successor in this region, Antipater, sent his men to track Demosthenes down. Demosthenes took his own life, in order to avoid being arrested by Archias, Antipater’s confidant.

The Alexandrian Canon compiled by Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace recognized Demosthenes as one of the ten greatest Attic orators and logographers. According to Longinus, Demosthenes «perfected to the utmost the tone of lofty speech, living passions, copiousness, readiness, speed». Cicero acclaimed him as «the perfect orator» who lacked nothing, and Quintilian extolled him as lex orandi («the standard of oratory») and that inter omnes unus excellat («he stands alone among all the orators»).

THE GIUNTINE EDITION OF ORIANO'S STANDARD PRAXIS OF LAW PROCEDURE

Oriano, Lanfrancus (De). Practica iudiciaria Lanfranci De Oriano, cum Benedicti Vadii, et Celsi Hugonis annotationibus. A Iacobo Boniour plurimis axiomatibus, in schematibus proximè locupletata. Ad Cardin. Lotharingum Carolum Lotharing. Lugduni, apud Haeredes Iacobi Iuntae, 1559.

8vo (150x103 mm), contemporary limp vellum (spine partly defective), ff. 179, [9].

Scarce and fundamental Renaissance treatise on legal procedure.

Provenance: Numerous contemporary underlinings and maniculae(«small hands»).

References: Sapori 1617. OCLC 69006914 locates in USA only the copy at Harvard Law library.

RARE GIUNTINE EDITION OF DI CASTRO’S COUNSELS
WITH A BINDING FROM A MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT

ONLY A COPY IN WORLDWIDE PUBLIC LIBRARIES

DI CASTRO, PAOLO. Consiliorvm sive responsorvm [...] cvivs haec omnivm postrema editio habet tvm consuetas multorum adnotationes, & praesertim Nicolai Michaelis [...] emendata [...].Venice, Giunti, 1617.

3 parts bound in 2 volumes in-folio (360x226), contemporary stiff vellum with a part from an ancient early manuscript, calligraphic title on four raised bands spines, ff. [2], 242, [18]; 222, [12]; 42, [8].
Printer’s woodcut device at titlepages.

VERY RARE GIUNTINE EDITION, REPRINT OF THE 1580 EDITION, OF PAOLO DI CASTRO’S «COUNSELS», ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF LEGAL ADVICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

The binding is partly composed with a vellum from a Medieval manuscript written in a fine semigothic handwriting.

Paolo di Castro (1394-1441), jurist of the "school of commentators", scholar of Baldo degli Ubaldi, studied and taught at Avignon; then he was teacher of civil law at Florence, Siena, Bologna and Padova; he was also mayor at Viterbo. After Bartolo and Baldo, he was the most influent medieval lawyer of his time.

References: IT\ICCU\VIAE\017590 (only 2 copies). OPAC locates only two copies in Italy of this edition; out of Italy, OCLC 80356333 locates only a copy in worldwide public libraries at Harvard Law Library.

DONEAU'S COMMENTARY ON JUSTINIAN'S CORPUS JURIS CIVILIS

Doneau, Hugues. Opera Omnia Tomus Nonus. Et Commentariorum in codicem Iustiniani Volumen Tertium. Accedunt Castigationes Teologicae. Lucae (Lucca), Typis Joannis Riccomini, 1766.

Folio (374x253 mm), 19th century colored paper, ff. [4, pages at verso are blanks], VI, columns 1560.
Xylographic endpieces, text on two columns, romanic and italic types.

Ninth volume (complete in itself) of Hugues Doneau’s Opera Omnia, containing his commentary to the Justinian’s Corpus Iuris Civilis and treatises on fundamental issues about Commercial Law and Inheritance Law. Among the other we find the following items: writings containing Last Wills, Interdiction, Heirs, Distraint, Mortgages, Bequests.

Hugues Doneau (1527-1591, latinized name Hugonis Donellus and italianised Ugo Donello) was a French jurist belonging to the Scuola Culta. He was follower of Andrea Alciato, trying to apply his humanistic methods to the law enviroment.

The Scuola Culta is a social movement of lawyers of the late Middle Age that worked toghether for the renewal of current laws, with the objective to create a new set of laws, philologically coherent with its Justinian roots.

References: ICCU, IT\ICCU\RLZE\025708. OCLC, 832171090.

BUTRIO'S COMMENTARY ON POPE GREGORY IX'S DECRETALS

De Butrio, Antonio.Lectura Super tertio et quarto decretalium.Lyon: Luxembourg de Gabiano, Hugues de La Porte and Jean Crespin, 1532.

Two volumes (out of five) bound together in folio (368 x 255), contemporary stiff vellum with handwritten title at raised bands spine, ff. 208, 63.

Elaborate xylographic title-pages in red and black, woodcut head-letters.
Text on two columns. Gothic type.

Fine early Lyon edition of Butrio's commentary on third and fourth book of 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).

References: OCLC 603740010.

A SOURCE FOR THE STUDY OF MEDIEVAL CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PROCESSES

ONLY TWO COPIES IN WORLDWIDE LIBRARIES, NONE IN USA

Durand, Guillaume. Speculi Gulielmi Durandi Venetiis, [Printer Device with Fountain], 1566.

Two volumes in 4to (204x150 mm), contemporary full vellum with sepia ink handwritten titles at spine, ff. [84], pp. 534, [2] for the first volume; pp. 797, [3] for the third volume. Text in Latin, two columns. Some xylographic decorations and headletters.

First and third volumes (out of four) of a very scarce edition of this remarkable medieval treatise that deals with all the issues related to civil and criminal process.

Guillaume Durand (1237-1296) was a French jurist and ecclesiastical. His career was brilliant in both the areas: at first he was Canon Law teacher in Modena, then auditor in Rome, Bishop (from 1290) in Mende, in Lozèr, and Archbishop in Ravenna (from 1295), as well as rector in Romagna and Marche. He is remembered for the present work, that led him to be condemned by Dante in Epistole (Ep. XI, 16) as an exponent of the formalist doctrine, and for a treatise on the symbology of ecclesiastical architecture and liturgical celebrations (Rationale divinorum officiorum, ca. 1280).

References: Not in Fontana, that doesn’t mention any Venetian edition of Speculum. Edit16, CNCE 17903. NO COPIES IN USA. Out of Italy, OCLC locates only two copies worldwide (Canada and France).

FOUR WORKS ON POLITICAL ECONOMY WRITTEN BY FAMOUS ECONOMISTS AND STATESMEN

[1.]: Minghetti, Marco. Des rapports de l'economie publique avec la morale et le droit par M. Minghetti; traduit par M. Saint-German Leduc; precede d'un introduction par M. H. Passy. Paris: Guillaumin, 1863.
[together with:]
[2.]: Minghetti, Marco. Della economia pubblica e delle sue attinenze colla morale e col diritto: libri cinque. 2. ed., riveduta dall'autore. Firenze: Succ. Le Monnier, 1868.
[together with:]
[3.]: Lampertico, Fedele. Economia dei popoli e degli stati. Introduzione. Milano: Fratelli Treves, Editori, 1874.
[together with:]
[4.]: Valenti, Ghino. Principi di scienza economica. Introduzione allo studio dell'economia politica, i principii dell' economia individuale, i principii dell' economia sociale. Firenze: G. Barbera, Editore, 1906.

[1.]: 8vo (180x106 mm), half percalline cloth binding, with marbled paper, blue sprinkled edges; pp. XXXII, 560. Work belonging to the collection Bibliothèque des sciences morales et politiques.

[2.]: 176x112 mm, half leather binding; pp. VIII, 509.

[3.]: 8vo (180x116 mm), half cloth binding and marbled paper at boards, title at spine; pp. XXI, 341. Editorial device at title-page with motto: laboremus.

[4.]: 8vo (165x120 mm), editorial blue cloth binding; pp. XXVIII, 521, [1 b.]. Editorial device at title-page (a butterfly that comes near to a rose, with the motto: non bramo altr'esca).
The work belongs to the collection: Manuali Barbera di scienze giuridiche sociali e politiche. Serie teorica. 8.1.

Marco Minghetti (1818-1886) was an Italian economist and statesman, Minister of the Interior, then Minister of Finance, Prime Minister in 1863 and, finally, Minister of Agriculture.

Fedele Lampertico (1833-1906), economist, writer, senator, jurist, statistician, was also interested in Venetian history.

Ghino Valenti (1852-1920), economist, university professor, was interested in agricultural economy, problems of customs, Director of Agricultural Statistics, Minister of Agriculture, Secretary of the "Society of Italian farmers."

Provenance: Private library of a Verona noble family, whose roots are in Mantua and in which there were distinguished lawyers and jurists.

References:
[1.]: IT\ICCU\LO1\0036479 (8 copies). OCLC, 30076526.
[2.]: IT\ICCU\NAP\0116066. OCLC, 187189722 (one copy in Sweden).
[3.]: IT\ICCU\RAV\0239622. OCLC, 249692603 (one copy in Germany), 872259159 (one copy in Denmark).
[4.]: IT\ICCU\NAP\0117147. OCLC, 860492055

A THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL TREATISE ON POLITICAL ECONOMY BY GEROLAMO BOCCARDO

Boccardo, Gerolamo. Trattato teorico-pratico di economia politica del Cav. Prof. Avv. Gerolamo Boccardo. Seconda edizione riveduta e considerevolmente ampliata dall'Autore. Vol. Primo [-Terzo]. Torino: Sebastiano Franco e Figli e compagnia, 1859.

8vo (170x110 mm), half leather binding, with marbled paper at boards, gilt title at spine; 3 vols.; pp. 312; 304; 280.
The volumes have the following different titles: Vol. Primo: Economia teoretica. Vol. Secondo: Economia pratica. Vol. Terzo: Economia pratica.

Gerolamo Boccardo (Genova, 1829-1904) was one of the leading Italian economists of the nineteenth century. Teacher at the University of Genova and Senator, wrote extensively, spreading in Italy the theories of John Stuart Mill.

Provenance: Private library of a Verona noble family, whose roots are in Mantua and in which there were distinguished lawyers and jurists.

References: IT\ICCU\RAV\0335857. OCLC, 33256238 (one copy in USA at the Syracuse University, and one copy in Japan at the Aoyama Gakuin University Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo).

TWO WORKS ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK AND LEISURE, THE EFFECTS OF BOTH IN THE ECONOMY OF VARIOUS ITALIAN REGIONS AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES, WRITTEN BY FAMOUS ECONOMISTS

[1.]: Lampertico, Fedele. Economia dei popoli e degli stati. Il lavoro. Milano: Fratelli Treves, 1875.
[together with:]
[2.]: Lozzi, Carlo. Dell'ozio in Italia: libri quattro di Carlo Lozzi. Primo [Secondo-] volume. Torino; Napoli: Unione Tipografico-Editrice, 1870-1871

[1.]: 8vo (180x116 mm), half cloth binding and marbled paper at boards, title at spine; pp. XII, 400. Editorial device at title-page with motto: laboremus.
[2.]: 8vo (180x108 mm), half percalline cloth binding and marbled paper at boards, title at spine, blue sprinkled edges; 2 vols.; pp. 434; 428. Work belonging to the collection: "Biblioteca educativa per il popolo italiano".

Lampertico, Fedele (1833-1906), economist, writer, senator, jurist, statistician, was also interested in Venetian history.

Carlo Lozzi (1829 - 1915) was an Italian jurist and scholar.

Provenance: Private library of a Verona noble family, whose roots are in Mantua and in which there were distinguished lawyers and jurists.

References:
[1.]: IT\ICCU\RAV\0239625. OCLC, 886144540.
[2.]: IT\ICCU\BIA\0010383. OCLC, 457680399 (1 copy in France), 645385224 (1 copy in Germany).

THE MEDITATIONS ON POLITICAL ECONOMY BY PIETRO VERRI, WITH ORIGINAL THEORIES ON TAXATION, ON INTERNAL FREE TRADE AND FREE EXPORT OF CORN

Verri, Pietro. Meditazioni sull'economia politica di Pietro Verri aggiuntevi le monografie di Gian Rinaldo Carli sul censimento dello Stato di Milano sui bilanci economici delle Nazioni sul libero commercio dei grani. Volume unico. Torino: Tipografia Economica, 1852.

8vo (178x116 mm), half leather binding with orange striped paper at boards, gilt title and decorations at spine; pp. 289.
Monographs by Gian Rinaldo Carli published in this volume:
Il censimento di Milano.
Breve ragionamento sopra i bilanci economici delle nazioni.
Del libero commercio de' grani.
Sull'impiego del danaro.
Saggio politico ed economico sopra la Toscana, fatto nell'anno 1737.


Pietro Verri (1728-1797) was an Italian philosopher, economist, historian and writer. He was author of political writings, historical, social, literary and satirical, and translated the plays of Destouches. As a politician, he covered also various government positions.

Gian Rinaldo Carli (1720-1795) was an Italian writer, economist, historian and also a numismatist.

Provenance: Private library of a Verona noble family, whose roots are in Mantua and in which there were distinguished lawyers and jurists.

References: IT\ICCU\MIL\0261748. OCLC, 875187395.

FIRST EDITION OF THIS UNCOMMON TREATISE ABOUT THE INTERDICT

Ercolani, Francesco. Tractatus Francisci Herculani Perusini [...] de cautione de non offendendo. Venetiis [Venezia]: apud Io. Andream Valuassorem cognomine Guadagninum [Valvassore], 1569.

8vo, 148x100 mm, original soft vellum binding, hanwritten title at spine, calligraphed title at lower edge, remains of ties; [36], 187, [1] leaves. Editorial woodcut device at title-page (two hands hold a stick on which a snake and branches of ivy are wrapped; motto: In utrunque).

Ercolani 's treatise addresses the Roman law of interdict, a category of orders or prohibitions issued by a magistrate and addressed to a Particular person to give immediate protection to a threatened interest of a complainer. They were also used to protect public interests, such as waterways.

References: IT\ICCU\RLZE\018246. OCLC, 78550653 (one copy in USA), 22402237 (one copy in USA and one copy in Japan), 491510214 (one copy in France) and 246135852 (five copies in Germany).

ENLARGED EDITION OF FACHINEI'S COLLECTION OF CONTROVERSIES AND LITIGATIONS

Fachinei, Andrea. Andreae Fachinei ... Controversiarum iuris libris decem [-tredecim] Quibus omnes fere quaestiones praecipuae; ut sunt, judiciales, contractuum, ultimarum voluntatum, feudales, criminales, & aliae miscellaneae, mira brevitate, & perspicuitate discutiuntur. Nunc secundo in Italia excusi. Cum additionibus & emendationibus; adiecto libro decimo nunquam antehac edito.Venetiis, Apud Modestum Iuntam de Modestis, 1619-1620.

Folio, contemporary stiff vellum (a light tear at spine), 1372, 329 columns.
Title-page in red and black.

Second edition of Fachinei Controversiae on various topics: contracts, testaments, feudal and criminal law, with the addition for the first time of a tenth book.

Provenance: Near contemporary inscription Ex libris doctoris Cesaris de Malfattis at title-page.

References: OCLC 2918198.