[31] Cosas Memorables, ubi supra.—Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 57.— Gomez, De Rebus Gestis, lib. 4.—Chacon, Universidad de Salamanca, ubi supra.
It appears that the practice of scraping with the feet as an expression of disapprobation, familiar in our universities, is of venerable antiquity; for Martyr mentions, that he was saluted with it before finishing his discourse by one or two idle youths, dissatisfied with its length. The lecturer, however, seems to have given general satisfaction, for he was escorted back in triumph to his lodgings, to use his own language, "like a victor in the Olympic games," after the conclusion of the exercise.
[32] For some remarks on the labors of this distinguished jurisconsult, see Part I. Chap. 6, and Part II. Chap. 26, of the present work.
[33] The most remarkable of these latter is Herrera's treatise on Agriculture, which since its publication in Toledo, in 1520, has passed through a variety of editions at home and translations abroad. Nic. Antonio, Bibliotheca Nova, tom. i. p. 503.
[34] This collection, with the ill luck which has too often befallen such repositories in Spain, was burnt in the war of the Communities, in the time of Charles V. Mem. de la Acad. de Hist., tom. vi. Ilust. 16.— Morales, Obras, tom. vii. p. 18.—Informe de Ríol, who particularly notices the solicitude of Ferdinand and Isabella for preserving the public documents.
[35] Mendez, Typographia Española, p. 51.
[36] Archivo de Murcia, apud Mem. de la Acad. de Hist., tom. vi. p. 244.
[37] Mendez, Typographia Española, pp. 52, 332.
[38] Ordenanças Reales, lib. 4, tit. 4, ley 22.—The preamble of this statute is expressed in the following enlightened terms; "Considerando los Reyes de gloriosa memoria quanto era provechoso y honroso, que a estos sus reynos se truxessen libros de otras partes para que con ellos se hiziessen los hombres letrados, quisieron y ordenaron, que de los libros no se pagasse el alcavala…. Lo qual parece que redunda en provecho universal de todos, y en ennoblecimiento de nuestros Reynos."
[39] Capmany, Mem. de Barcelona, tom. i. part. 2, lib. 2, cap. 6.—Mendez, Typographia Española, pp. 55, 93.