First, contemporary treatises explaining the bases of Novohispanic court decisions are rare, leaving researchers to guess, with greater or lesser sophistication, at the reasoning of the judges in applying the law. Sr. Saenz de Escobar’s careful explications—“this is how the court insists that this be done”—permit confident study of long-important cases involving such notables as the Condes de Regla and de Bibanco, while also illuminating cases of boundary dispute not bringing such wealthy families into the arena of the court system.

Secondly, this work is a treatise, full of data and diagrams, on New World methods of survey, measuring, and estimating: That is, it is a mathematico-scientific treatise written by a native of New Spain for professionals working in New Spain. Such treatises are also extremely rare, the more so if illustrated as in the case at hand.

Finally, as “working” documents go, this is a truly handsome one. The manuscript is written throughout in a fine, clear, near-calligraphic hand; consciously calligraphic main and sectional title-pages are provided. The science and mathematics involved in accurate measuring and surveying are not only concisely explained but illustrated with marvelous diagrams—diagrams much more elegant and, often, embellished than would be necessary. A few instruments are also illustrated in detail.

•  Contemporary sheep, flat spine; spine gilt extra. Binding lightly abraded.

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•  Barbier, II, 171; Weller, Falsche Druckorte, II, 197.   19th-century boards covered with German mottled paper, spine with inked title-label; binding abraded, spine label darkened. Ex-library with lined-through call number label to spine, front pastedown with institutional bookplate, first text page with inked numeral in lower margin. Front free endpaper with inked inscription in Greek. A few instances of light foxing, pages mostly clean.  (19717)

Nine plates are included, the last of which an impressively oversized, folding map in French and Russian showing the river route from Yakutsk to Okhotsk; the map is labelled, “Par un Anglois nommé William Walton qui en envoya l‘original à Mr. Visher à Petersbourg le 15 fevrier 1743” and “Calquée d‘après l‘original et gravée par E. Dussy.”

•  Sabin 77608. Mottled calf, worn and cracking, covers framed with triple gilt fillets; spine with five raised, abraded bands and gilt-stamped, chipped floral devices in compartments. Front joint cracked and back starting, with cords holding. Some loss of leather to corners, base of spine.  Bookplate of the Bibliotheca Sobolewskiana.  Edges marbled; most pages clean, a few with varying offsetting.

•  ESTC N22343. Tipped onto a leaf of 19th-century paper; now in a Mylar folder. In good untattered condition, with noticeable (but not print-obscuring) stain in lower center portion.

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•  Bigmore & Wyman, II, 318–19. German sprinkled brown paper over paste boards. Binding abraded and chipped. A library's blind pressure-stamps; properly deaccessioned with no additional stamps.

Uncommon.  Searches of OCLC, RLIN, and NUC Pre-1956 locate only three copies in U.S. libraries.

•  Goedeke, Grundriss zur Geschichte der deutschen Dichtung (for first ed.). 19th-century quarter morocco (refurbished) over paper-covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped title; edges of paper sides rubbed. Front pastedown with bookseller’s ticket from B. Westermann & Co. of New York, private collector’s 19th-century bookplate, and institutional stamp (no other markings). Small repaired hole to title-page, with four letters unobtrusively replaced. Foxed, with a few corners crumpled or dog-eared. One engraved plate from another work laid in. A pleasant, we would say “atmospheric” little volume.

•  Contemporary vellum pleasantly panelled in blind with arabesques as centerpieces on covers; spine with inked title, light soiling, corners a little bumped. Some tears along turn-ins. Paper generally clean with traces (only) of soiling; on title-page, small stain obscuring one letter. Inked ownership inscription on verso of title-leaf and signs of one-time pencillings on recto. All edges red.

Schwarz critiques Protestant authors, such as Grotius, Puffendorf, Heineccius, and Thomasius, and other writers on these subjects, pointing out where they agree with and where they differ from Catholic teaching.

He first published his Institutiones juris in 1741, and, according to DeBacker-Sommervogel, this is the third of six editions. Present here are parts 1 and 2 of 4, in which, however, all the matters above listed are discussed. This edition is printed with the title-page in red and black, a woodcut headpiece and tailpieces, and a plethora of side- and footnotes.

Provenance: Inked inscription on title-page, "Rodriguez de Arellano."

•  DeBacker-Sommervogel, VII, 948. Limp vellum with remnants of ties; spine with inked title. Scattered spots of staining to spine and rear cover. Pp. 41–42 of the first series of pagination has a large chip out of the upper outer corner with loss of page numbers but no text. Pp. 155–56 has a tear in the outer margin, not touching text. Occasional worming in the outer margins, not touching text. Scattered age-spotting; a few occasions of light waterstaining in the outer margins.