De peste libri tres. Riva (Ripa) di San Nazarro, Giovanni Francesco. Early printing up to 1600

4to (150 x 210 mm). (28), 162, (1) ff. (including errata). With three woodcut borders, a woodcut illustration on the verso of the title-page, woodcut decorated initials. and a woodcut printer's device (anchor and dolphin) at the end of the text. Contemporary limp vellum binding with lapped edges and fragments of thong ties, raised bands to spine. Rare first edition of the first modern legal work specifically on the plague. Riva di San Nazarro (ca. 1480-1535), a Lombard nobleman and scholar, was a noted authority on Roman and canon law. This work from 1522 is both elegant and a practical guide, furnished with an alphabetic table of contents and with contemporary underlinings and marginal notations throughout, showing active use. - Title-page printed within a handsome woodcut architectural border. The two dedications commence with leaves with woodcut architectural borders and the coat of arms of the dedicatee; the first dedication also features a woodcut vignette of the author presenting his book on bended knee. - One of two issues from 1522, the other published in Lyon by Jacques Secon. The Universal Short Title Catalogue lists only ten other copies of the Avignon printing. - A handsome copy of a rare work on a phenomenon which fundamentally altered the structure of European society in the late medieval and early modern period. - Binding shows some soiling; spine darkened; minor wear to head of spine and corners. Some minor soiling and wear to interior with occasional light foxing. Brief annotations, manicules and underlining in a contemporary hand throughout. A handsome and well preserved copy. - Later owner signature on f. (3r), name not fully legible ("[.]asale de [.]"). - BM-STC French 377. Durling 3884. Wellcome 5754. Mortimer 461. USTC 110507. Not in Adams.