Albericus de Rosate, 1290-1360.

Albericus's Dictionarium : (Roman/Canon Law, 1581)

Dictionarium, 1581
Dictionarium, 1581	Dictionarium, 1581

Albericus was "born in Rosciate, near Bergamo, around 1290. He studied in Padua under Oldradus da Ponte and Riccardus Malumbra. He studied also under Ranieri di Forlì and received advice and help from Bartolo da Sassoferrato. In the second decade of 1300 he came back to Bergamo: there he practised - but never taught - law and was actively involved in the civil life of his city, particularly as reformer of the statutes (in 1331 and 1333) and as ambassador to the papal court in Avignon (in 1335, 1337-38 and 1340-41). He died in Bergamo in 1360."

The dictionary was considered essential for jurists and students for hundreds of years, and directly influenced all legal lexicography that followed. This edition of Albericus' dictionary was printed long after the first, which was printed as early as 1481 in Bologna. It has been enriched by hundreds of additions and emendations, which were described in detail in the preface by the editor, Johannes Decianus. The definitions were generally short and simple, but grew long and dense for some words, like excomunicatio and feudum.

While it is currently unknown who the printer of this edition was, the large printer's device on the title page, an engraved vignette, features an eagle on a rock surrounded by a stormy sea with angels above, reads Renovabitur ut aquilae iuventus tua. We ask readers to please contact Tarlton's Special Collections staff if they have information about the identity of the printer.

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