Responsum Juris, In Ardua Et Gravi Quadam Causa, Concernente..

1630. Contemporary Legal Commentary on a Witchcraft Trial in Marburg [Reinkingk, Theodor von]. Responsum Juris, In Ardua Et Gravi Quadam Causa, Concernente Processum Quendam, Contra Sagam, Nulliter Institutum, & Inde Exortam Diffamationem. Ubi Quaestiones Quaedam, De Nocturnis Sagarum Conventiculis, Saltationibus, Usurpatione Supellectilium Piorum in Illis, Transmutationibus Personarum in Alia Animalia, Confessionibus, Assertionibus & Denuntiationibus, Exacte Examinantur, & Requisita Totius Processus Criminalis Proponuntur, Annexis Aliis Quibusdam, Ad Praesentem Facti Speciem, Pertinentibus Quaestionibus, Solide Enucleatis. Impertitum Giessae a JCto Quodam in Anno 1621. Marburg: Typis & Sumptubus Nicolai Hampelii, 1630. [xx], 138 pp. Quarto (7-1/2" x 5-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlet bound into recent quarter vellum over marbled boards, calf lettering piece to spine. Light rubbing to extremities, binding slightly cocked. Light browning to text, faint dampstaining to fore-edge of text block, minor worming and early owner signatures to title page, tiny piece neatly removed from bottom corner. $1,500. * Third edition. First published in 1621, this work is an anonymous legal commentary on a lawsuit brought by a noble family in Marpurg against a local cathedral chapter for accusing two upper-class women of practicing witchcraft and associating with witches. Reinkingk, though he believed in witchcraft, argued that the two women in question were innocent. This commentary went though at least 8 editions, the last in 1712. All are scarce. OCLC locates 7 copies of the 1630 edition, 4 in North America, 1 in a law library (Northwestern). Das Verzeichnis der im Deutschen Sprachraum Erschienenen Drucke des 17. Jahrhunderts 1:015734V. (Inventory #: 67440)