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Law Dictionary Collection

Lexicon juridicum

Lexicon juridicum: hoc est, juris civilis et canonici in schola atque foro usitatarum vocum penus: accessit legum populi Romani copiosus index. Geneva: Ex typographia Iacobi Stœr, 1615. 20 cm.

The compiler of this work is thought to be printer Jacob Stoer. The work is primarily drawn from the earlier efforts of Barnabé Brisson and Francois Hotman, as indicated in the full title. Brisson was thought of as a royalist, and Hotman was indisputably both a Huguenot and a "monarchomaque" (an anti-absolutist), so the juxtaposition of the two renown scholars would suggest an attempt at moderation, if Stoer had not in fact been the original publisher of Hotman's polemical Franco-Gallia (1573), and a Calvinist. Entries contain references to Greek and Latin sources, and a list of authorities was included in the front material.

Jacob Stoer (1542-1610) was born in Otlingen, near Strasbourg. He travelled to Geneva at the age of 17 to apprentice himself to master printer Jean Crespin. This association introduced him to prominent Reformers such as Jean Calvin and Theodore Beza. He had achieved the status of master printer by 1563, and became a citizen of Geneva in 1568, which permitted him to open his own workshop. He printed chiefly juridical, medical, controversial religious and political works.

In addition to printing, Stoer also produced original editions of a number of writings including bilingual editions of religious texts (French and German), editions of ancient Greek and Latin authors, and several dictionaries, including this one. Between 1571 and his death in 1610, he printed 368 titles. His printing shop continued operation under his son and grandson.

Tarlton Law Library holds two editions of this dictionary.

Bibliography:

Hans Bremme. "Stoer, Jacob." Buchdrucker und Buchhandler zur Zeit der Glaubenskämpfe. Geneva: Librarie Droz, 1969.

Paul Chaix. Recherches sur l'imprimerie à Genève de 1550 à 1564. Genève: Librarie Droz, 1954.

––, A. Dufour & G. Moeckli. Les Livres imprimés à Genève de 1550 à 1600. In Travaux d'Humanisme et Renaissance, 86. Genève: 1966.

Alain Dubois. "L’éditeur réformé Jacob Stoer (1542-1610). Recherches sur son officine typographique d’après la bibliographie de ses éditions." These l'École de chartres, Sorbonne, 2007. (abstract)