1. Justiniani sacratiss. principis institutionum : seu elementorum iuris libri quator, by François Baudouin, 1546.
This well-loved book is the oldest item in our collection, printed some 473 years ago! In fact, it was printed less than 100 years after the Gutenberg Bible, which was the first major book published in Western Europe using movable metal type; it also marked the beginning of the mass production of books. It is written in Latin and covers part of the Corpus Juris Civilis (“Body of Civil Law”) of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, specifically his volume of Institutiones, which was originally used as a manual for student jurists in the 6th century. Although it’s hard to make out, the cover of the book has a stamp that reveals “Willimus Chesholme” as its original owner.
2. M. Tullii Ciceronis Rhetoricorum secundus tomus : horum catalogum sequenti pagella inuenies, by Marcus Tullius Cicero, [155?]
Our first runner-up book has an interesting history. It was donated to the library in 1936 and is purported to have been owned by William Bradford, the 2nd Governor of Plymouth Colony, who is said to have brought the tome with him on the Mayflower. A handwritten note on the front endpaper of the book resembles Bradford’s handwriting, which can be seen in his manuscript journal Of Plimoth Plantation. It is a little difficult to read, but the note derives from a quote from one of Seneca the Younger’s epistles, which praises the writing style of Cicero: compositio ejus (Ciceronis) una est: pedem servat, curata, lenta, et sine infamia mollis (“the composition of this man (Cicero) is one that: keeps the foot [idiom probably for keeping a good rhythm], is carefully prepared, is easy, and is gentle without notoriety.”)
3. The historie of Guicciardin : containing the warres of Italie and other partes, continued for manie yeares vnder sundrie kings and princes, together with the variations and accidents of the same : and also the arguments, with a table at large expressing the principall matters through the whole historie, by Francesco Guicciardini, 1599.
Our second runner-up traces the wars and other events that occurred in the 15th and 16th centuries under Italy’s monarchy. Originally written in Italian by Francesco Guicciardini, it was translated into Elizabethan English and was published in London by Richard Field, who personally knew William Shakespeare and printed early editions of some of the playwright’s poetry.
4. Selectarum disputationum ad jus civile Justinianaeum : quinquaginta libris pandectarum comprehensum volumina duo, by Hieronymus Treutler, 1603.
Our last runner-up is another book written in Latin containing selected arguments regarding the civil code of Justinian. While not as old as the other books on this list, it was still printed 27 years before the Mayflower landed in Plymouth. So it’s still pretty old! One of the book’s original owners wrote and then scribbled out a note on the title page. I stared at it for a while but can’t make out what it says or what language it’s written in.
The above-mentioned books, as well as other early publications in our collection, can be found in our Special Collections Department in room 55 of the State House. If you have any questions, you can email the librarians at special.collections@mass.gov or call 617-727-2595.
Kaitlin Connolly
Reference Department
