Alphabetum juridicum, canonicum, civile, theoricum, practicum, morale, atque politicum.…

Madrid, Ex Typographia Regia, apud Joannem Garcia Infançon, 1678.. FIRST EDITION. 2 volumes. Folio (35.9 x 24.3 cm.), contemporary vellum, yapped edges, horizontal manuscript author-short title and volume numbers on spines. Title pages in red and black. Large engraving of the Virgin of Miracles or Saint Mary of La Rábida on third preliminary leaf recto of each volume. Typographical headpieces. Woodcut initials. Large woodcut tailpiece on final page of volume II. Light toning, occasional minor foxing, a few small, light stains, darker in a few instances. Slight gnawing at foot of spine of volume I, extending to lower inner blank margins, but not visible internally. Worming in lower blank margins of leaves 2D and 2E of volume I, mostly very minor, but more serious and affecting a few letters of text in 6 leaves, from 2D3 to 2E2. Despite these faults, still in good, solid, sound condition overall. Old (contemporary?) ink notations on title pages (partly scored). Old circular red stamp 3.5 cm. in diameter on fourth preliminary leaf recto of volume I and third preliminary leaf recto recto of volume II, within a stamped square red border 5 x 5 cm. in volume I. Occasional old ink manuscript annotations. [20], 727; [16], 691 pp. [ ]6, 2¶4, A-Z6, 2A-2Z6, 3A-3O6, 3P4; ¶8, A-Z6, 2A-2Z6, 3A-3L6, 3M4. *** FIRST EDITION of this authoritative two-volume dictionary on Spanish Law. There were subsequent editions of 1683, 1720, 1730, and 1738. Written mostly in Latin, with a few notes in Spanish, the work seldom provides extensive definitions, but rather directs the reader to classical authors, European and Spanish canonists, or to the writings of contemporary Spanish jurists.Gil Fadrique de Castejón was born and baptized in Ágreda, into a family descended from the Marqués del Socorro. He was himself a knight of the order of Alcantara and held several titles. Castejón studied law at the University of Salamanca, and was admitted to the college of St. Bartolomew in November 1640. He served as Associate Judge in Chancery of Valladolid before joining the Court of Philip IV as a member of the Consejo y Camara de Indias and the Consejo of Castile. *** Palau 47594. Goldsmith, Short Title Catalogue of Spanish and Portuguese Books 1601-1700 in the Library of the British Museum C279. Not in HSA.