Richard Schroder, _Lehrbruch der deutschen Rechtsgeschichte_ (5th ed.,
Leipzig, 1907), SS 51 and 56, where a bibliography as complete as need
be is given, both of monographs dealing with various aspects of the
question, and of works on the history of individual towns. The latter
alone covers two large octavo pages of small print. As a sort of
complement to Schroder's chapters may be considered, F. Keutgen,
_Urkunden zur stadtischen Verfassungsgeschichte_ (Berlin, 1901 =
_Ausgewahlte Urkunden zur deutschen Verfassungsgeschichte_, by G. von
Below and F. Keutgen, vol. i.), a collection of 437 select charters
and other documents, with a very full index. The great work of G. L.
von Maurer, _Geschichte der Stadteverfassung von Deutschland_ (4 thick
vols., Erlangen, 1869-1871), contains an enormous mass of information
not always treated quite so critically as the present age requires.
There is an excellent succinct account for general readers by Georg
von Below, "Das altere deutsche Stadtewesen und Burgertum,"
_Monographien zur Weltgeschichte_, vol. vi. (Bielefeld and Leipzig,
1898, illustrated). A number of the most important recent monographs
have been mentioned above. As fpr Italy, the most valuable general
work for the early times is still Carl Hegel, _Geschichte der
Stadteverfassung von Italien seit der Zeit der romischen Herrschaft
bis zum Ausgang des zwolften Jahrhunderts_ (2 small vols., Leipzig,
1847, price second-hand, M. 40), in which it was for the first time
fully proved that there is no connexion between Roman and modern
municipal constitutions. For the period from the 13th century it will
perhaps be best to consult W. Assmann, _Geschichte des Mittelalters_,
3rd ed., by L. Viereck, dritte Abteilung, _Die letzten beiden
Jahrhunderts des Mittelalters: Deutschland, die Schweiz, und Italien_,
by R. Fischer, R. Scheppig and L. Viereck (Brunswick, 1906). In this
volume, pp. 679-943 contain an excellent account of the various
Italian states and cities during that period, with a full bibliography
for each. Among recent critical contributions to the history of
individual towns, the following works deserve to be specially
mentioned: Robert Davidsohn, _Geschichte von Florenz_ (Berlin,
1896-1908); down to the beginning of the 14th century; the same,
_Forschungen zur Geschichte von Florenz_ (vols. i.-iv., Berlin,
1896-1908); Heinrich Kretschmayr, _Geschich