Tengler, Ulrich.

The new Leyenspiegel von(n) rechtmässigen ordnunge(n) in Burgerlichen und peinlichen Regime(n)ten. With addition. Also the guldin Bulla. Royal reformation / landfriden. Also proof of the laws and other matters. (on the last leaf:) Strasbourg, [Matthias Hupfuff], 1514. fol. 13 unnum. Fol. 164 rom. foliated leaves (instead of 170; without leaves LXXXV-LXXXVIII [P2-5] and CLXVIII-CLXIX [f3-4] and without the last white leaf [f6]). With 35 (instead of 36) woodcuts in text, including some large and some repeated, as well as 7 schematic woodcuts in text. Half vellum binding of the 17th century with handwritten spine title. (Paste paper cover somewhat faded; slightly rubbed). VD16 T-343, Adams L-337, Goedeke I, 391, 32 (under Sebastian Brant, who contributed a preface). First edition printed in Strasbourg of the expanded Laienspiegel, one of the major works of German legal literature. The first edition was published in Augsburg in 1508. Tengler (born between 1435/45-1511), bailiff of Höchstadt, "intended with this book of help and reference to instruct the 'half-scholars', who without prior costly legal studies at universities were very numerous in the courts at that time as clerks, advocates, procurators, notaries, counselors, orators or in other subordinate occupations, in the law and to show them correct conduct. The work thus combines practical instruction with theoretical teaching and can be described as a systematic realencyclopaedia of popular jurisprudence for practitioners. T[engler] sent the manuscript to Sebastian Brant in Strasbourg, who, obviously flattered by this, reports in the preface he wrote that T[engler] 'his particularly favorable and commanding master has added such a work to his charity' and compares it (in obvious exaggeration) with the merits of the famous sailors of the 15th century. Brant's preface concludes with a lengthy didactic poem on the necessary knowledge of written law" (ADB). Also included is a section "von kätzerey, warsagen, schwartzer kunst, zauberey, unholden etc." (p. CXXIXf.), which is regarded as evidence of the legality of the witch-hunts that now began.