Layenspiegel. Von rechtmässigen ordnungen inn Burgerlichen und Peinlichen Regimenten, Mit Addition ursprünglicher rechtsprüchen. Auch der Guldin Bulla, Küniglicher Reformation, Landfriden, etc. Samt bewärungen gemeiner rechten und anderm anzeygen Newlich getruckt (ed. by Seb. Brant).

Title with woodcut, 30 woodcuts, of which 4 are repeated once and 2 twice, and of which 6 are full-page or almost so, woodcut initials. (6), 128, (3) leaves. Small folio. Antique styled full brown calf over wooden boards, blind-stamped borders on sides, spine on 5 raised bands. In slipcase. Strasbourg, in Knoblochs Druckerey (durch Wendel Rihel und Georgen Messerschmidt), 1544. This woodcut book is one of the main works in German legal history and important both textually and iconographically. It was written by Ulrich Tengler (1441-1511), and edited by Sebastian Brant (1457-1521). The illustrations mostly depict contemporary legal procedure and court practice, with dramatic examples of methods of extracting information and of execution. The text is an early influential German compilation of civil law of the 16th century intended for the non-Latin speaking layman. It includes examples taken from contemporary commercial practice, such as usury and fraudulent sale, as well as regulations concerning Jews and it gives the text of the "Jew's Oath", with an illustration showing a Jew swearing upon a Hebrew book (leaves XLIII, and LXXVIII verso). The text has a preface in prose and rhymed couplets by Sebastian Brant, and a Latin introduction by Philomusus, i.e. Jakob Locher, followed by a Latin epigram by Tengler himself. The work is divided in three parts. It contains private law, criminal law, and law of public institutions. The illustrations give an impressive and authentic portrayal of legal procedures. The title-woodcut of this edition depicting in the center of the lower part Emperor Maximilian sitting on his throne. This woodcut was before used in Gerson, Opera, 1514. The woodcuts are probably copied after the Master HF from the Otmar edition 1509. They are often repeated in this work present here. Tengler's book was first published in Augsburg in 1509 and saw 16 editions up to 1560.- Due to paper quality slightly uniformly browned, some foxing, some waterstains at the end, otherwise a good copy. - VD 16 T 350; BM (German) 852; Muller, p. 339, no. 46; not in Adams; cf. Kristeller *438. GRAPHIC ARTS:ILLUSTRATED BOOKS ; LAW ; GERMANY ;