[MODENA].

£1,250 · Offered by Sokol Books

An exceptionally well-preserved (and probably the only surviving) copy of the first edition of this grida concerning taxes imposed on meat, fish, oil and their export. The gride were ordnances or edicts issued by the authorities, which were then gridate (declaimed loudly) by criers in squares to inform citizens. The present was issued to provide partial relief to the ducal coffers after difficult years including the plague of 1630-1, which killed over 40% of Modena s inhabitants, and the Thirty Years War. By September 1636, when the grida was issued, Modena had first been prey to winter raids of grain and fodder by the French troops lodged in Parma, and had then participated in the invasion of Parma alongside the Spanish troops. The grida sought extraordinary help due to the excessive expense caused by the ongoing wars . It forbad, within the walls of Modena, the killing of oxen, cows, beeves, calves, goats, kids, lambs, sheep, pigs and gelding anywhere but in public slaughterhouses, at the price of 4 quattrini a pound to be paid to the taxman. Fines for transgressors included the seizing of the animals, and a payment of 50 or 25 scudi, according to the size of the animal; the snitch , if there was one, retained anonymity. Exempt was the killing for family use of pigs, kids or lambs, which had not been bought or acquired by exchange, or their killing (by anyone, except butchers) at Easter, from Good Friday to the Resurrection. Any sale or transport of oil as well as live or d

• Binding: Hardcover

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