305 - FRENCH MANUSCRIPT [Antoine de MARTRES].

FRENCH MANUSCRIPT [Antoine de MARTRES]. “Principles of French Canon Law. Drawn primarily from the liberties of the Gallican Church as set forth in the Pragmatic Sanction, the Concordat, and the Royal Ordinances. Compiled by Mr. De Martres, Doctor Regius and Royal Professor at the University of Thé [?], and attorney at the Parliament of Toulouse.” [Toulouse, 1688]; in-16 (17.5 x 12.5 cm). 3 blank folios–4 folios–245 pages. 3 blank folios missing at the end of the volume. Contemporary brown calfskin, decorated ribbed spine, gilt title, cap ends trimmed, corners rubbed, paper missing on the 1st and 3rd blank folios. Coat-of-arms ex-libris vignette on the upper inside cover: “Bibliothèque de Saint-Philippe.” The leaves of section D (pp. 73–96) have slightly narrow margins. On the fourth leaf is a coded text indicating that the manuscript was begun on “August 14, 1688, by Antoine d’Olivie, a tonsured cleric of the Diocese of Toulouse, son of Olivie, master shoemaker,” and completed on November 14 of the same year. (The key to the code is provided on the reverse of the previous page.) At the end of the text is a signature, likely added later: “Lapujade.” The work is written in very fine, rapid handwriting, and the layout is clear and organized. The student Antoine d’Olivie transcribed the canon law course taught by the Toulouse jurist Antoine de Martres. The latter was originally from Saint-Lizier in Ariège; he was the son of a lawyer who served twice as a capitoul. He received his doctorate from the Toulouse Law School on May 26, 1662, and went on to have a brilliant career as a lawyer. Intendant Henri d’Aguesseau took notice of him in 1680 during his mission to reform the University of Toulouse. He was the first holder of the chair of French law at the Toulouse Law School, appointed by the king in 1681. His lectures were highly successful, which for a time earned him the animosity of his colleagues. He taught for 14 years and died while still in office. In 1683. He left no published works, but several handwritten lecture notes, transcribed under his dictation, have been preserved; these attest to the rather innovative nature of his teaching, particularly his relative and evolving conception of law. (Historical Dictionary of French Jurists (12th–20th Centuries). Edited by P. Arabeyre, J.-L. Halphérin, and J. Krynen. Paris, PUF, 2007).