THE LAWS OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF CATALONIA

[Catalan law, Lyon] Cancer, Jaime. Iacobi Cancerii, Domicelli Barbastr. I.V.D. Clarissimi, Variarum resolutionum iuris caesarei, pontificij, et municipalis principatus Cathalauniae, ab ipso authore, antequam evita emigraret, diligentissime recognitarum, et altero fere tanto auctarum, cura et desiderio D. D. Myr, Regiae Audientiae Doctoris eximij, Authoris generi in lucem emissarum; pars prima [-tertia]. Cum summariis hactenus maxime desideratu et indice rerum verborumque locupletissimo. Editio novissima aucta et a mendis expurgata. Lugduni (Lyon): sumptibus Laur. Arnanud, et Petri Borde, 1670.

3 parts bound in a volume in folio (cm 36 x 24), contemporary stiff vellum (light traces of use), handwritten title and decoration at five raised bands spine, pp. [8], 384 for the first part; 232, [60], [1, blank] for the second part; [4], 440, [76] for the third part. Text in Latin, in two columns.
Half title: Iacobi Cancerii, I.V.D. Variae Resolvtiones Vtrivsqve Ivris.
First and third part title-page in black and red types, with a large woodcut allegorical device with motto Virtus semina, fortunae geminat cum tempore; second part just with an half title. Engraved head and -tail pieces, engraved head-letters.

Second enlarged edition of the Resolutions in the Principality of Catalonia in both Civil and Canon Law.

Catalonia is the region of Barcellona and still comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona.
It comprises most of the territory of the former Principality of Catalonia, with the remainder now part of France. Catalonia is bordered by France and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the Spanish regions of Aragon and the Valencia Community to west and south respectively.

Until 1716, Catalonia, as a principality of the Crown of Aragon, continued to retain its own Constitution and usages and laws, which gradually were adapted, till 1705, in the course of the transition from feudalism to a modern state, fueled by the kings' struggle to have more centralized territories. Over the next few centuries, the increasing centralization of power in Spain led to conflicts between Catalonia and the Spanish Crown.

Jaime Cancer (1520-1592) was a Spanish jurist: he first published the Catalonia Resolutions in 1659.

References: C. Beughem, Bibliographia Juridica et Politica, Amsterdam, 1680, p. 38. ICCU\MILE\005108. OCLC, 13826498 (locates complete copies in the Purdue University Library, West Lafayette and in the University of Wisconsin; other copies in UCLA, University of Kansas and HLS, but their vol. 3 has imprint: Lvgdvni, Sumptibus Lavrentii Arnavd, 1643).

Usual brownings/foxing and occasional, negligible wormholes at the outer blank margin of some few leaves. Overall a very fine copy.