
CANON LAW
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“The canon law of the Catholic Church is the system of laws and legal principles made and enforced
by the hierarchical authorities of the Church to regulate its external organization and government
and to order and direct the activities of Catholics toward the mission of the Church.”
Ye Wiki, bless it!
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It Looks Like
What an Incunable is SUPPOSED to Look Like
Antoninus, Saint, Archbishop of Florence. Summa theologica. [colophon: Argentina {i.e., [Strassburg}: Johannem {Reinhard} Grüninger, 1496]. Folio (32.5 cm; 12.5"). Vols. I & II (in one volume) of V. I: [173 of 174] ff. (lacking first leaf of vol. 1); [225 of 226] ff. (without the final blank].
$8000.00
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“The Summa Theologica (1477), more properly the Summa Moralis, is the work upon which [St. Antoninus's] theological fame chiefly rests . . . [it] is probably the first — certainly the most comprehensive — treatment from a practical point of view of Christian ethics, asceticism, and sociology in the Middle Ages” (NCE, I, 647).
After his ordination in 1413 (at Cortona, where he was sent for the Dominican novitiate along with artists Fra Angelico and Fra Bartolommeo!), Antoninus (1389–1459) swiftly attained prominence in the Church; returning to his native Florence, he consecrated the Convent of San Marco in 1443 and was appointed Archbishop of that city just a few years later. A great yet humble reformer whose writings were widely published even in the incunable period, Antoninus was
hailed as a Doctor of the Church in the bull for his canonization.
The Summa, completed shortly before his death, is divided into four parts: the first is concerned with the soul and its faculties, passions, sin, and law; the second addresses different types of sin and redress; the third considers various states and professions in life, with treatises on ecclesiastical offices and censures; and the fourth contemplates the cardinal virtues, religious morals, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Although the text draws heavily on earlier theological works by St. Thomas Aquinas, among others, it is regarded as
“a new and very considerable development in moral theology” (NCE online), and it contains
a wealth of matter for the student of 15th-century history.
Printed in Gothic type, double-column format, with most capitals supplied in red or blue manuscript in plain style, the text here has red markings to aid in reading and navigation. Topics addressed in these volumes include sin, penance, canon law, will, original sin, privilege, lying, pride, avarice, anger, and infidelity, among several others.
Goff and ISTC find only one complete set of all volumes in American libraries — at the Countway in Boston. All other U.S. libraries, save the Newberry, report owning one or two of the volumes. The Newberry has volumes I–IV.
Provenance: Old illegible European library stamp in lower margin of first leaf of vol. I; in 20th and early 21st century in the library of the Pacific School of Religion (properly deaccessioned).
ISTC ia00878000; Goff A878; BMC, I, 109; GKW 2192. Contemporary calf over bevelled wood boards, recently rebacked and new endpapers supplied; lacks a blank and a title leaf. Leather of boards elaborately and richly tooled in blind using rolls, rules, and individual stamps of a rose, a fleur de lis, and a saint; small area of leather on front board missing and substitute leather inserted. Evidence of bass and leather clasps, remnants of vellum guide tabs. Text and boards of binding wormed, mostly with many pinhole wormholes, and text with some meandering; no great losses. Some small tears in a few margins and one lower margin with an old repair; stamp as above; browning to many margins. A good, solid volume, one with some condition issues but at the same time a good example of these productions and the era's printing. (33734)

On Private Worship: An Oratory in One's Home
Baquero, Francisco de Paula. Disertacion apologetica a favor del privilegio, que por costumbre introducida por la Bula de la santa cruzada goza la Nacion Española en el uso de los oratorios domesticos, leida, en la Real Academia de buenas letras de Sevilla en 25. de octubre de 1771. En Sevilla: Por D. Josef Padrino, [colophon, 1777]. Small 4to (18.5 cm; 7.25"). [1] f., 104 pp.
$750.00
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Our author was the “cura mas antiguo del Sagrario de [Sevilla], examinador Synodal de su arzobispado, comisario y revisor de libros del Santo Oficio, academico numerario,” and the “censor de dicha Real Academia.” His work was first read before the Real Academia on 25 October 1771 but because of delays in obtaining the necessary licenses to print it, publication was delayed until 1777.
In this work of canon law and Catholic Church customs and practices, Baquero studies the privilege that the Bull of the Holy Crusade granted the Spanish nation regarding oratories in private residences; it applied not only to Spain but to colonies as well.
The first of three, this edition was published by “un amigo del author.” The other editions appeared in 1781 AND 1861.
Only one U.S. library reports ownership of either the 1777 or 1781 edition. It should be noted that there is NO 1771 edition, despite Palau and online cataloguing; cataloguers have simply failed to look at the last page of the supposed 1771 edition to see that the colophon is dated 1777.
This offers one very pretty large initial and some modestly nice work with type ornaments.
Palau 23499 (giving wrong date of publication). Contemporary limp vellum, a bit missing from back cover; evidence of ties, and binding with light dust-soiling. Lacking rear free endpaper. A clean, nice copy. (29596)

Managing the Empire
Carleval, Tomás. Disputationum juris variarum ad interpretationum regiarum legum regni Castellae, et illis similium, tam ex jure neapolitano, quam ex utroque communi civili & canonico. Valentiae: ex typographia Benedicti Monfort, 1768. Folio (30.5 cm; 11.75"). 2 vols. I: [7] ff., 590 pp. II: [4] ff., 416, lxxxvi pp.
$735.00
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Spain's empire in the 16th and the first half of the 17th centuries included not only the bulk of the New World, island nations of the Pacific, and entrepots in Africa and Asia, but also the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, parts of Germany and France, and most of Italy including Naples. In this work Carleval (1576–1645) studies the administration of justice, judges, civil procedure, canon law, Spanish law and law in general in the Spanish kingdom of Naples.
Includes decisions of the Sacro Regio Consiglio and an index. Title-page in black and red; text printed in double-column format in roman and italic.
Palau 44244. Contemporary vellum over paste boards with remnants of ties; vellum of the back cover of vol. I and front cover of vol. II rodent-gnawed along fore-edge with loss of vellum exposing the boards. Front hinges (inside) of of both volumes mostly open but text blocks still adhering nicely to binding. Occasional age-toning. Good++. (29363)

Working Documents Produced in
Workmanlike Fashion
Catholic Church. Province of Rome. Concilium (1725). Concilium Romanum in sacrosancta Basilica Lateranensi celebratum anno universalis jubilaei MDCCXXV. Romae: Typis Bernabò, sumptibus Francisci Giannini bibliopolae, 1725. 8vo (19 cm; 7.5"). [18] ff., 464 pp., [12 (last a blank)] ff.
$300.00
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During the first year of Benedict XIII's pontificate (1725), as the bishop of Rome he hosted a concilium for the province of Rome. The assembled prelates met in the Lateran Basilica to review and revise the rules and laws regulating the clergy in and of the province, producing revisions that were numerous and important. These were promulgated promptly and published in several editions in 1725. This is one of three editions we have identified as being printed in that year, all from the press of the same printer. No priority has yet been established for their order of appearance.
Contemporary vellum over light pasteboards with slightly raised bands; the vellum used here was recovered from earlier use in a binding or some document. Some foxing and other staining/soiling in text; in all, a solid, good to good-plus copy. (36632)

Privileges & Exemptions
Cofradía de Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Mexico). Sumario de las indulgencias, gracias y concesiones que los sumos pontifices han dispensado a la Cofradia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen. Mexico: Impr. de la Calle de Santo Domingo y esquina Tacuba, 1802. Samll 8vo (14.5 cm; 5.75"). [26] ff.
$475.00
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Sixth edition (preceded by those of 1789, 1792, 1793, 1798, and 1801) of the indulgences, privileges, and grants bestowed by the pontiffs on members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Provenance: A copy of this work was given to each member upon admission and the last page of this copy indicates that it belonged to Joaquín Gorospe who was admitted to membership on 20 April 1803.
Uncommon: No U.S. library reports owning this edition.
Medina, Mexico, 9488. Lacking the wrappers. Soiling to title-page and verso of last leaf. A few age spots. (26871)

He Has an Aphorism for
Just About Everything in Canon Law
Corvinus, Arnoldus. Jus canonicum, per aphorismos strictim explicatum. Amstelodami: Ex officina Elzeviriana, 1663. 24mo (13.5 cm, 5.25"). [6] ff., 362 pp., [10] ff. Collation includes engraved title-page.
$400.00
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Compendium of the topics in canon law explained via aphorisms, in one volume — a quick pocket reference guide. The engraved title-page has a fine, full-page image of a religious, presumably the author, presenting a book to the Pope; the dedicatory epistle lauds Gaspar de Guzmán, Prime Minister of Philip IV of Spain and chief Spanish negotiator of the treaty by which Spain recognized Dutch independence (1648).
Other works by Corvinus († ca. 1680) include Iurisprudentiae Romanae Summarium, and Ius Feudale.
Willems 1301. Contemporary vellum, soiled; two small pieces of spine vellum missing. Engraved title-page starting to loosen; pages generally clean. (30089)

Decrees of 13 Apostolic & Holy Concilia — From the Press of France's
Short-Lived FIRST Royal Greek Printer
Councils of the Church; Jean Du Tillet, ed. [two lines in Greek, romanized as] Kanones ton apostolon kai ton hagion synodon [then in Latin] Apostolorum et sanctorum conciliorum decreta. Parisiis: Per Conradum Neobarium, regium typographum, 1540. 4to (20 cm, 7.75"). [iv], 115 [i.e., 116] pp.
[SOLD]
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First edition of Du Tillet's compilation of decrees of thirteen apostolic and holy conclia — an interesting and uncommon work in the field of canon law. The text, except for the introduction, is in Greek.
This is one of only a handful of books printed by Conrad Neobar, the first royal Greek printer in France: He began printing ca, 1537, was appointed to the royal post in 1539, and died the next year. His printer's mark (a serpent entwined on a tau) graces the title-page.
Provenance: From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.
Searches of NUC and WorldCat locate only three U.S. libraries reporting ownership (Princeton Theological, University of California-Santa Cruz, University of Illinois).
Adams C543. Late 17th- or early 18th-century vellum over pasteboards. Title-leaf and final leaf a little soiled; one leaf towards end with a crescent of old light waterstaining to foremargin; a few pages with faint underlining or faded marginalia. Else very good. (40717)

Truly
CLASSIC in Its Field: MAGIC
Del Río, Martin Antoine. Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex, quibus continetur accurata curiosarum artium, et uanarum superstitionum confutatio, utilis theologis, iurisconsultis, medicis, philologis. Moguntiae: Apud Joannem Albinum, 1603. Folio (31.5 cm; 12.5"). [12 ff.], 276 pp., [8] ff.; [2 ff.], 268 pp., [10], [2] ff., 250 pp., [5] ff. (without the folding table in book II).
[SOLD]
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One of the two best known 16th-century treatises on magic, Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex was first printed 1599–1600 and is the magnum opus of Martin del Río (1551–1608), a Jesuit scholar. Amulets, incantations, demons, spells, alchemy, prophecy, divination, and many other topics are surveyed. The tome was designed as a ready reference book for priests and ecclesiastical judges. And yes, there are
sections on exorcism.
This ediiton (“nunc secundus curis auctior longè, additionibus multis passim insertis: correctior quoq(ue) mendis sublatis”) bears a title-page with a rather fascinating
engraved border composed of eleven vignettes, all portraying scenes from Exodus. The text is printed with side- and shouldernotes and has woodcut head- and tailpieces.
Provenance: Stamps of two U.S. Redemptorist libraries (one in Ilchester, MD; the other in New York state).
VD17 1:001581Y; DeBacker-Sommervogel, II, 1899; Robbins 283; Graesse, Magica, 47; Coumont, Demonology and Witchcraft, D45.3. Contemporary limp vellum with slightly yapp edges, evidence of now-lacking ties; vellum soiled, front joint (outside) with excellent repair, new endpapers. Scattered waterstains; discoloration in some margins from old damp; some gatherings and individual leaves browned, as in all other copies seen. Title-page trimmed at top, not quite into plate; without the folding table in Book II; old library stamps in some margins and an old sticker. A solid, satisfying copy. (33026)

Canon Law & Commentary
Espen, Zeger Bernhard van. Supplementum in corpus juris canonici, sive in jus universum ecclesiasticum cum brevi commentario ad Decretum Gratiani. Coloniae Agrippinae [Cologne]: Sumpt. viduae Wilh. Metternich & filii Bibl. sub signo Gryphi, 1732. Folio extra (36.2 cm, 14.25"). [2] ff., 194 pp.; 170, [10] pp.
$250.00
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Second edition of van Espen's canon law supplement, first published in 1729 with his commentary on Gratian's Decretum, the oldest and most substantial component of Catholic canon law. Ordained in 1673, Belgian jurist Zeger Bernhard van Espen (Espenius, 1646–1728) taught canon law at the University of Louvain; however his
Jansenist sympathies and the controversial opinions that led to his works being put on the Index (1704) eventually forced him to flee to the Netherlands. The present text is a supplement to his influential Jus ecclesiasticum universum (1700), his major work condemned by the Church.
The text here is in Latin, printed in roman and italic with sidenotes, large woodcut initials, intricate headpieces, and ornaments, including a number of dainty stars and at least two impressive, richly inked tailpieces. The title-page features a large printer's device for the widow and children of Wilhelm Metternich's shop.
Gratian's Decretum, written in the 12th century and henceforth amended (most significantly in the 16th), was a legal cornerstone of ecclesiastical courts until 1917 and a major influence on the most recent laws of 1983, even though it was never officially promulgated by the Church.
On van Espen, see: NCE, V, 543. Contemporary flexible vellum, remnants of four leather ties, ink title to spine; soiled and shelf-worn, small chip one to corner. Marginal waterstains and the odd ink- or other stain, a few small bits of paper lost at edges, very minor but persistent marginal worming, one small hole in text (a natural flaw), and browning/foxing (heaviest in the commentary). Deckle on some leaves, and one témoine. Early inscription in ink on title-page. (30254)

Revising the
Rules of Conduct & Administration
Franciscans. Provincia de San Diego de México. Constituciones de la Provincia de San Diego de Mexico de los Menores Descalços de la mas estrecha observancia regular de N.S.P.S. Francisco en esta Nueva-España. México: Por los Herederos de la viuda de Francisco Rodriguez Lupercio, 1698. 4to (20 cm; 8"). [18], 263, [16] ff.
$3250.00
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This revised constitution and rule was finally published after much discussion and compromise as made explicit on the title-page: “dispuestas por especial compromissa, de el discretorio de el capitulo provincial celebrado en el Convento de S. Diego de Mexico en I. de Diziembre de 1696: y aprobadas por su difinitorio en 23. de Iunio de 1697: y ultimamente
revistas, y firmadas en 24. de Octubre de dicho año por los mismos compromissarios, y definitorio, que las saca à luz con las constituciones apostolicas pertenecientes á la ereccion de dicha provincia, mejor govierno, gracias, indultos, privilegios, y prerrogativas de la Franciscana Descalcez, y su Precedencia seraphica respecto de la chervbica familia de N. P. S. Avgvstín, y demas religiones sagradas sus immediatas.”
Despite the rather dry legal-administrative language there, we learn much from this about
LIFE among the Mexican Franciscans: 1) that they are prohibited to attend bull fights and to play at cards and dice, 2) how they are to address each other, 3) when they may be put to torture in investigations, 4) their penalties for simony, 5) who they may allow to be buried in their churches, 6) how they are to conduct relations with women, and so on as to many, many more aspects of daily life.
And, of course, the volume covers much about the administration of the order, the admission of novices, the pursuit and expression of spiritual life, etc.
The work begins with the title-page printed in black and red in roman with some italic. The text is in roman also, with sidenotes in some sections, and with a sprinkling of interesting woodcut tailpieces.
A dense and interesting work.
Medina, Mexico, 1687; Sabin 76023. Recased in original (?) vellum with four leather ties (two new). Title-leaf mounted; damage to lower third with loss of paper and print including imprint; approbation leaves torn in same portion, repaired with loss of a few words; first leaf of the “Parecer” torn and repaired with no loss. Some worming of both types: pinhole and meander, the latter repaired with archival tissue. Otherwise, occasional light waterstaining only; a solid, serviceable copy. (25559)

You Had Certain Rights . . .
Guzman, Alonso de (a.k.a., Guzman Genze, Alonso de). Tractatus de evictionibus ... Omnibus quidem juri operam damtibus, tam in theorica, quam in praxi perutilis, et non minus judicibus, quàm advocatis valdè neccesarius. In quo non tatum quaestionum practicarum in jure civili, & canonico repertarum resolutiones spectantes, sed etiam omnem huius curiae cernere licet. Matriti: apud viduam Ildephonsi Martin, expensis Dominici Goncalez, 1629. Folio (27 cm; 10.5"). [4], 310, [32] ff.
$900.00
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First edition of Guzman's several-times reprinted work on warranty in Roman and canon law.
WorldCat locates no copies of this edition in the U.S.; NUC Pre-1956 (under Guzman Genzer) finds three copies in the U.S.; the Catálogo Colectivo del Patrimonio Bibliográfico locates no copies in Spain, but the OPAC of the BNE finds a single copy in its holdings.
Palau 111738. 20th-century binding using an 18th-century vellum leaf over paste boards. Old ownership inscriptions on title-page inked out long ago; occasionally, a
marginal note. Some age-toning, some gatherings browned (impurities in water during paper manufacture), glue stain in some inner margins; light waterstaining in a good many parts and other stray stains, yet in all a very decent copy of a rare edition. (29083)

He Had One of Those
Breathtakingly Simple Insights . . .
Lancellotti, Giovanni Paolo. Institvtiones ivris canonici, qvibvs ivs pontificivm singulari methodo libris quattuor comprehenditur.... Lugduni: Apud haeredes Gulielmi Rouillii, 1614. 16mo (12.1 cm, 4.75"). A–Z8Aa–Nn8; 500 pp., [38] ff. [bound with] Naogeorg, Thomas. Rvbricæ, sive svmmæ capitvlorvm ivris canonici Thomæ Noageorgi [sic] Straubingensis opera in lucem editæ.... Lugduni: Apud haeredes Gulielmi Rouillii, 1614. 16mo. A–S8; 286 pp., [1 (blank)] f.
$600.00
Lancellotti (1522–90) was a professor of law in Perugia. His teaching of canon law by arranging it into the same divisions (of persons, things, and actions) as Roman civil law made it much more accessible, and he was invited by Pope Paul IV to produce an Institutes of Canon Law on the model of the Institutes of Justinian, the standard work in Roman civil law. He published the present work, the result of his labors, in 1563; while it failed to attain the same legal status as the Institutes of Justinian, it received wide dissemination, and has had a major impact on the teaching of canon law to this day.
Bound with Lancellotti's work is a summary of titles of chapters of canon law compiled by Thomas Naogeorg (1508–63). Naogeorg's wanderings took him from being a Dominican to being a Lutheran to being a Calvinist. Along the way, during his Lutheran phase, he studied canon law for a year (1551) at Basel, during which time he compiled and published this work, likely as a student's guide. He is better known for his plays, in which he sharply attacks the Papacy.
The two works here were first published by the firm of Guillaume Rouillé, in 1587 and 1588 respectively, and may have been intended to be bound together, as witnessed by the Library of Congress copy. The title-page transcriptions of the earlier editions (except for the date and "hæredes"), and their signatures, pagination, and arrangement, match those of these present 1614 editions. There are italic shouldernotes, and woodcut headpieces and initials.
On Lancellotti, see: New Catholic Encyclopedia, VIII, 356. Contemporary calf, covers framed in gilt double fillets, rebacked with calf, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label and gilt-stamped compartment decorations; corners and edges rubbed, sides with small cracks and scuffs. All edges speckled brown. Bouquiniste's paper label on front pastedown and front free endpaper lacking. Two words inked long ago in two margins, and one page with old pencilled underlining. (3797)

History of the
Council of Trent in GERMAN
Sarpi, Paulo. Historie des tridentinischen concilii mit des D. Courayer Anmerkungen. Halle: in der Gebauer und Stettinschen Buchhandlung, 1761–64. 8vo (19.5 cm, 7.7"). 4 vols. only of 6, in 2. I: [107] ff., 440, [32] pp.; [2] ff., 684, [32] pp. II: [24] ff., 566, [18] pp.; [1] f., 598, [24] pp.
$300.00
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Later German edition of this unofficial, anti-papal history of the Council of Trent by Fra Paolo Sarpi (1552–1623), first published in 1619. The German text is printed in gothic with Latin footnotes in roman and italic type. Sidenotes, also in German, are found in the main sections of each part, and handsome woodcut initials, headpieces, and tailpieces decorate the text throughout. There is one set of letterpress diagrams in the second part, and the volumes offer
all three engraved frontispieces called for, being portraits of the author, Paul III, and Julius III, by “Bause” (Johann Friedrich Bause, 1738–1814) and “Schleven” (probably Johann Friedrich Schleuen, 1739–84), at the beginning of the first three parts. All four parts have separate title-pages.
Binding/Provenance: Contemporary full vellum with
gilt-stamped supralibros “Fridericus Rex Prussiae. A. 1764.” on front covers of both volumes, suggesting they were presented to the King of Prussia that year, just after the final part was printed. Bright red edges.
Bindings as above, both a little soiled, with noticeable but small spots on back cover of first vol. and front cover of second, spines rubbed erasing old ink titles and library markings. Four volumes only of six, bound in two; old-fashioned institutional rubber-stamps on title-pages and ink markings on front pastedowns. Light foxing, a few small holes from natural paper flaws, and one naturally occurring tear in part two. A single small hole resulting from chemicals in the paper in parts two and four; a few stray ink marks from the press.
In good shape, printed on nice, fibrous paper and remarkably clean. (30343)

A Manual for INQUISITORS with
Interrogation Questions
Vilaplana, Hermenegildo. Enchiridion canonico-morale de confessario ad inhonesta, & turpia solicitante: nec non de decretis, & constitutionibus pontificiis ad hoc nefarium crimen exterminandum emanantis. Mexico: ex typographia editioni Bibliothecae Mexicanae destinata, 1765. 4to (20 cm; 7.75"). [14] ff., 217 pp.
$1200.00
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A theological and legal treatise on confessors and confession and the sacrament of penance with the emphasis on abuse of the confessional by priests. Telling a priest one's moral and legal transgressions empowers the weak or corrupt priest to then blackmail the parishioner for money or sex or other “favors.”Father Vilaplana (1712–63), a native of Benimarfull, Valencia, Spain, was a Franciscan, a university lecturer in theology, and an “examiner” for the Inquisition. His handbook gives examples of abuses, lays out the pertinent canon laws and papal edicts, and has a section of questions to be asked of accused priests during court proceedings. The work also discusses punishment and other disciplines that the crimes demand.
Since abuse of the confessional fell under the authority of the Inquisition, this work is de facto a manual for Inquisitors.
This is the “Editio secunda locupletior in paucis.” The Bibliotheca Mexicana was the private press of the great bibliographer, writer, and secular cleric Juan Jose de Eguiara y Eguren.
Medina, Mexico, 5026; Palau 365782. Contemporary limp vellum, rodent-gnawed along several edges with a small loss of vellum. Front endpapers with loss to silverfish. Text unwormed and clean. (29773)
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