The Burt Franklin Collection

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The Burt Franklin Collection

In 1974 the Mitsui Group Companies donated to the Hitotsubashi University Library an extensive collection of books, pamphlets, broadsides, periodicals and manuscripts of the 13th to the 20th centuries, treating of economic, political and social affairs. The collection, assembled by Burt Franklin (1903-1972), an antiquarian bookseller and publisher of reprints of scholarly books, comprises about 17,200 volumes. Among the approximately 600 manuscripts are a copy of the Magna Carta made in about 1300, a Medici account book from 1471-72, and the manuscripts from the archives of the Marquisate of Laubrières covering the period from 1372 to 1780.

Images of part of Burt Franklin Collection are available on HERMES-IR.

Literature

Magna Carta

Magna Carta and other statutes
(Franklin:18051 MS.3)

マグナカルタ
マグナカルタ
マグナカルタ

Publication details

[Magna Carta and other statutes, to 18 Edward I, charters of liberties, and law-tracts. s.l., ca. 1300]
Publication Date: [ca. 1300]
Physical Description: [269] p. (26 lines) : vellum ; 22 cm
Notes: Title from printed catalogue
Gatherings chiefly of 10 leaves, with catchwords
Initials flourished in red and blue; headings, etc. in red
Original binding of oak boards
Bibliographical description in typescript pasted on the first leaf
Accompanied by table of contents, manuscript note on binding and bibliographical description on another Magna Carta
Contents: Magna Carta Regis Henrici omnium Libertatum, Carta de libertatibus Foreste, Statuta de Merton, Statuta Marlebergie edita, Prima statuta Regis Edwardi apud Westmonasterium edita, Statuta apud Gloucestriam edita, Prouisiones Westmonasterienses, Statuta domini Edwardi Regis apud Westmonasterium, Extracts from statutes of penalties for offences, Statuta domini Edwardi Regis Auglie apud Glouerniam, Statuta abreuiata, Narracio in breuibus, De breui de quo Waranto, De empcionibus et uendicionibus terrarum et tenementorum, Placita episcopo Norwicensi par dominum Regem concessa, De homagio et fidelitate facienda, Quia Emptores, Summa de Hengham, Summa Fet asauer, Summa de essoniis iudicandis, De essoniis calumpniandis, De assisa panis et ceruisie et ponderis panis, De ponderibus
Language: Latin, French

Explanation

The Burt Franklin Collection includes nearly 600 manuscripts. Among them, Magna Carta is one of the oldest. At the beginning of the thirteenth century, the defeat of King John of England to King Philip II of France brought about the loss of almost all his territories on the Continent. In addition, John’s frequent imposition of taxation and demands for military service were not well received by the aristocracy. As a result, in June 1215, King John was compelled by them to sign Magna Carta. This lays down the mutual rights and obligations of the King and the aristocrats under the feudal relationship and comprises a preamble and 63 articles of prescription. It is noteworthy as establishing the principle that the King is also under the law. There were frequent disputes about it between the aristocrats and John’s successors Henry III and Edward I, and numerous modifications and reconfirmations were added. The CHSSL manuscript was copied around 1300 and includes these later items. The text is inscribed in Gothic minuscule on 136 leaves of parchment, with the original Magna Carta itself comprising the first five leaves. The leaves, 21 cm long and 15 cm wide, are beautifully bound in 6 mm oak.

Medici Family’s Accounting book

Debit and credit account book
(Franklin:18148 MS.74)

メディチ家帳簿
メディチ家帳簿
メディチ家帳簿

Publication details

[Debit and credit account book, 1471-1472]
Publication Date: 1471-1472
Physical Description: 70 leaves ; 22 cm
Notes: Title from printed catalogue
Leaves 26v-47v, 61v-63v, and 65v-70v are blank
Accompanied by photocopy of auction catalogue of Medici manuscripts, and bibliographical notes in English and Japanese
Author: Medici, Francesco di Giuliano di Giovenco, 1450-1528
Language: Italian

Explanation

This accounting book was used by the Medici family, the great merchants of Florence. The notes were recorded between 1471 and 1472 (given that January 1 at that time corresponded to March 25 of the present calender). Harvard University holds all the books made from 1490, though the earlier ones, including the CHSSL copy, are scattered about. When this book was made, Lorenzo de’ Medici had become ruler of Florence at the age of seventeen (in 1469). He patronized Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, bringing about the golden age of the Italian Renaissance. This accounting book was made by Francesco (1450-1528), a collateral relation. Each two facing pages have the running number at the upper right of the right page. Notes from the beginning to number 26 are related to financial affairs, the debtor being recorded on the left page and repayments on the right; the names of some of the prestigious families of the time are recorded here. Notes from number 48 to number 61 are for transactions in woolen goods. The book is covered with parchment.

Literature

    An official paper of the French royal family

    [Retenüe de chapellier de la garderobbe pour Jacques Poysat, Versailles, 1680]
    (Franklin:18332 MS.255)

    フランス王室公文書

    Publication details

    [Retenüe de chapellier de la garderobbe pour Jacques Poysat, Versailles, 1680]
    Publication Date: 1680
    Physical Description: [2] p. : vellum ; 26 x 52 cm
    Notes: Signed “Louis,” and countersigned, “Colbert.”
    Accompanied by manuscript notes
    Author: France. Sovereign (1643-1715 : Louis XIV)
    Language: French

    Explanation

    This paper signed by the French King Louis XIV is to certify Jacques Poysat’s position as royal hatter, one of the posts of the royal wardrobe. It is dated April 7, 1688. Under the Ancien Regime in France, a certain number of posts in the royal household were for sale, and once a post had been purchased it became a family legacy to be inherited from generation to generation. If there were no heir, the post would be formally returned to the King. However, its next purchaser would be obliged to pay a certain amount of money to the former holder, and the certification here served as the King’s guarantee for this purpose. Written on parchment, it was signed by Louis XIV and countersigned (as an assurance of the authenticity of the King’s signature) by Colbert, the minister of finance.

    Archives of the Laubrières family

    [Archives of the Marquisate of Laubrières]
    (Franklin:18065-18091 MS.17）

    ロブリエール家文書
    ロブリエール家文書
    ロブリエール家文書

    Digital Library

    The Digital Library of the Archives of the Marquisate of Laubrières

    Publication details

    [Archives of the Marquisate of Laubrières]
    Publication Date: 1372-1780
    Physical Description: 27 v. ; 27-46 cm
    Notes: Title from printed catalogue
    The arcives, which consist largely of the original documents, bound into volumes, are divided into two groups: The fief and seigneurie of La Saullaye and the Châtellenie of Beuzon. The following volumes of the fief and seigneurie of La Saullaye are present: Registre des assises et remembrances, v. 1-4 (1494-1713); plus index volume. [17-17.4] Registre des cens et devoirs dûs au fief, v. 1-3; plus index volume. [17.5-17.8] Registre des contracts d’acquets faits dans l’étenduë du fief, v. 1-2 (1372-1734). [17.9-17.10] Registre des declarations renduës au fief, v. 2-3, 5-10(1506-1686); plus index volume. (Vols. 1, 4 and 11 lacking) [17.11-17.19] Registre des assises, 1724-1725 (38 p.); Registre des declarations, 1724-1725 (42 p.); Registre des assises, 1777-1780 (133 p.), in 1 v. [17.20]. The following volumes of the Châtellenie of Beuzon are present: Registre des assises, v. 3 (1539-1602) and v. 5 (1678). [17.21-17.22] (Vols. 1-2 and 4 are lacking) Registre des contracts d’acquets faits dans l’étendue de la Châtellenie, v. 2 (1580-1732). [17.23] (Vol. 1 lacking) Registre des declarations reduës à la Châtellenie, v. 2-3 (1617-1709). [17.24-17.25] (Vol. 1 lacking) Table alphabetique des noms de ceux dont les declarations reduës à la Châtellenie de la Beuzon … Mis par ordre, 1732. [17.26] (Also contains indexes to the Registres des assises and to other Registres which are lacking)
    Compiled in 1728-1737
    Author: Laubrières, Marquisate of
    Language: French

    Explanation

    These are historical documents of seignorial administration of the Marquisate of Laubrières, formerly located at east of France. Original papers dating between 1372 and 1780 are bound in 27 volumes. They concern the fief and seigneurie of La Saullaye and the Châtellenie of Beuzon, both comprising the Marquisate of Laubrières. Primary documents in a class of its own, which contents vary from records of seigneurial trials to ledgers of tax collections for subjects such as cens, through cadastres registering transfer and administration of fiefs and records of seigneurial proclamation. The complete set should have 36 volumes, but 9 volumes are missing. Nevertheless, it is rare to see together historical documents of fiefs from the late medieval period to the end of the Ancien Regime, and they are a valuable source for research on economic and social history.

    Literature

    Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality

    Discours sur l’origine et les fondemens de l’inegalite parmi les hommes
    (Franklin:1834 , Franklin:1835)

    ルソー『人間不平等起源論』
    ルソー『人間不平等起源論』

    Publication details

    Discours sur l’origine et les fondemens de l’inegalité parmi les hommes / par Jean Jaques Rousseau citoyen de Genève
    Publisher: A Amsterdam : Chez Marc Michel Rey
    Publication Date: 1755
    Physical Description: LXX, [2], 262, [2] p., [1] leaf of plates : ill. ; 21 cm
    Notes: Title in red and black
    Errata: p. [263]
    Errors in paging: LXV numbered XLV
    Dufour no. 55(variant)
    With this is bound: Examen critique de la seconde partie de la Confession de foi du vicaire savoyard / par M. A.J.R. A Londres : [s.n.] , 1776
    Author: Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712-1778
    Language: French
    (Publication details taken from Franklin:1834 (authentic edition))

    Explanation

    The Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men (Discours sur l’origine et les fondements de l’inegalite parmi les hommes) is one of the main works of Jean Jacques Rousseau. He maintains that human beings are isolated in the state of nature, whereas, since Ancient Greece, it had been commonly supposed that they were naturally social. The intention of this celebrated writer of the Enlightenment was to strongly criticize politics, culture and the way of life of the unequal civilized society of the day. At the same time, the assertion that society was not natural but artificial resulted in the idea that social problems such as inequality were created by human beings and were to be solved by human beings themselves, which led to Rousseau’s political treatise, “The Social Contract.” Franklin 1834 is an authentic edition of the Discourse, with two vignettes on the title page. On the third line from the bottom of page 11, there is a misprint where the accent was left off “conforme” and has been added by hand by the publisher. Franklin 1835 is a pirate edition, without a signature on the lower left of the vignette and with a smaller illustration on the right page.

    Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws

    De l’esprit des loix, ou, Du rapport que …
    (Franklin:1432-1433）

    モンテスキュー『法の精神』
    モンテスキュー『法の精神』

    Publication details

    De l’esprit des loix, ou, Du rapport que les loix doivent avoir avec la constitution de chaque gouvernement, les moeurs, le climat, la religion, le commerce, &c., a quoi l’auteur a ajoute des recherches nouvelles sur les loix romaines touchant les successions, sur les loix francoises & sur les loix feodales
    Publisher: A Geneve : Chez Barillot & fils
    Publication Date: [1748]
    Physical Description: 2 v. ; 26 cm
    Notes: Imprint. Cf. Tchemerzine
    Errata at end of t. 1er
    Author: Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689-1755
    Language: French

    Explanation

    This masterpiece by Montesquieu searches for the spirit that lies behind laws, comparing various judicial and political regimes of various countries in the world and of various ages. His famous theory of the separation of powers is discussed in the pages about the English system. The book was praised inside and outside the country, though its treatment of religion was so harshly criticized that the Roman Catholic Church included it in its list of prohibited books. Immediately after publication it gained such a high reputation that its printing in France was tacitly permitted on condition that the place of publication should be disguised as being outside France. According to a letter of January 1750 that Montesquieu addressed to an acquaintance, there were 22 editions, including pirate editions, circulating all over Europe in just over a year after its first publication (November 1748). The CHSSL copy is of one of the pirate editions. While copies of the original edition indicate the publisher as “Barrillot” at the bottom of the title page, that on this copy is “Barillot” (with only one r). It is thought that this copy was printed in 1749 in Paris.

    Augustine, De civitate dei

    De civitate dei
    (Franklin:18702 Inc.5）

    Augustine, De civitate dei

    Publication details

    De civitate dei. Comm: Thomas Waleys and Nicolaus Trivet
    Publisher: Venice : [Bonetus Locatellus], for Octavianus Scotus
    Publication Date: 18 Feb. 1489/90
    Physical Description: [512] p. : ill. ; 31 cm
    Other title: Augustinus de ciuitate dei cum commento
    Note: Title and imprint from ISTC
    Leaf 1 recto: Augustinus de ciuitate dei cum commento
    References: HC2065; BMCV 437; GW 2889; ISTC ia01245000; Yukishima, IJL2 047
    Author: Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430
    Language: Latin

    Digital Library (DjVu)

    Crescenzi, Ruralia commoda

    Ruralia commoda
    (Franklin:18705 Inc.8）

    Crescenzi, Ruralia commoda

    Publication details

    Ruralia commoda
    Publisher: [Augsburg] : Johann Schussler
    Publication Date: about 16 Feb. 1471
    Physical Description: [212] leaves ; 30 cm. (folio)
    Note: Title and imprint from ISTC
    The colophon reads: circit xiiij. Kalendas marcias
    References: HC *5828; BMC II 328; GW 7820; ISTC ic00965000; Yukishima, IJL2 143
    The last 3 leaves blank
    Burt Franklin’s copy imperfect: the last leaf wanting
    Author: Crescenzi, Pietro de’, ca. 1233-ca. 1320
    Language: Latin

    the Digital Library (DjVu)