“The Body of Roman Civil Law/in Four Distinct Parts” by Dionysio Gothofredo (Denis Godefroy). The basis for English civil law, this is comprised of four parts covering jurisprudence practices. 

The original was ordered by Justinian I. Originally it had three parts, but when certain areas were noticed as missing or lacking in authority, Justinian ordered a fourth part. This particular edition is intriguing due to its many original aspects including the heavily embossed boards: the front has a center motif of a person with a sword, who appears male?, with a motto surrounding. Looks like the figure is sitting inside shutters with a square around, increasing in size with the outer looking like a row of chains. The back has a coat of arms motif as central with a shield at bottom with some kind of a bird to the right and maybe vases of flowers or grasses to the left. The design repeats like the front ending in a row of chains in final box before the edge. The spine is banded with an inset leather band “Corpus Juris Civilis” in what was once gilt or gold lettering. The volume itself is huge: approximately 4” high, 10” long and 8” wide. The vellum at back outside edge is missing and some sort of soft padding showing through. At the front, there are two sheets of paper that looked to have been glued down and have lifted. Opposite this, is a signature dated 1741 while on the top of the next page is a signature dated 1748. Most intriguing of all is the marginalia (in Latin!) and the essay, again in Latin, on the spare pages in the back. This volume also has the usual signs of age, especially with an organic binding like the vellum along with interior issues like minor foxing and blots from age. A truly fascinating look at the roots of our jurisprudence. Please do not hesitate to ask questions or for more pictures. We will do our best. Cleaning is left to the purchaser. 

Good Condition: folio, vellum cover with embossed front and back, banded spine with ridges, Second band down has leather label with gilt lettering. Woodcut decorations at end of each chapter with occasional decorative capitals. “Corpus Juris Civilis Romani, in Quatuor Partes Distinctum, Dionysio Gothofredo, JC. Auctore, cum appendices, seu auctario eorum, quae prioribus hujus formae editionibus desuerunt, atque indicibus singulari cura revisis ac Iocupletatis”. Dionysio Gothofredo, JC. (Denis Godefroy). Leipzig. Jo. Frederick Gleditschii, Bibliop. Lips. Et Friderici Knochii, bibliop. Francof. Ad Moenum. 1705.

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