141. [Lansing, John]. [New York]. An Essay on the Law of Mortgages, in the State of New_York. Albany: Packard & Van Bentruysen, 1824. 82 pp. Original paper boards, chipped at edges and spine, somewhat worn, a few stains. Untrimmed edges. Foxed. Ex-library, bookplate on front pastedown. Good. $250.
* Uncommon, a handful of copies held institutionally. Cohen notes that the work was attributed to John Lansing [1754-1829] who "held many legislative and judicial positions in both the New York and federal governments. He was a delegate to Federal Convention of 1787, but withdrew claiming that the Convention exceeded its authority by forming a new Constitution instead of simply amending the Articles of Confederation. He served as Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court and, from 1801 to 1814, as Chancellor of New York. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 9568. Catalogue of the Library of the Law School of Harvard University (1909) I:1117.

142. [Law Times]. The Law Times: The Journal and Record of the Law and the Lawyers. From November 1905 [to April 1916]. Volume CXX-CXL. London: Published at the Office of the Law Times, 1906-1916. Twenty volumes. Original law calf. Ex-library. Worn, rubbed, some covers detached, others with joints cracked. Lacks volume 132. Internally sound. $200.
* First edition.

143. Lawes, Edward. An Elementary Treatise on Pleading in Civil Actions. Portsmouth, N.H.: Published by Thomas and Tappan from the Press of S. Sewall, 1808. [5], 246 pp. Contemporary calf. Hinges starting, some rubbing, head of spine chipped. Still a very good copy of Lawes’ Treatise. $200.
* First American edition. “Though elementary, it will be found comprehensive and instructive.” Marvin 452. HLC I:1133. Soule 238. Parrish 283. Cohen, BEAL 9245.

144. [Legal humor]. The Lawyer’s Jest Book. Quips and Quiddities of the Bench and the Bar. Laying Down the Law in the Court of Momus. Being an Exhaustive Collection of the Witty Repartees, Pungent Paragraphs, Happy Hits, Ready Rejoinders, and Apt Anecdotes of the Lights of the Legal Profession of the United States, Great Britain, and-Tho’ Last, Not Least, by any Means-Ireland. New York: M.J. Ivers & Co., 1882. Printed wrappers, illustrated cover. 48 pp. Very good. $350.

* An uncommon piece of legal ephemera, a charming collection of legal anecdotes, jokes and quips that remains entertaining to this day.

145. [Legal Manual]. The Pocket Lawyer, and Family Conveyancer. Comprising A Selection of Forms Necessary in All Mercantile and Money Transactions...To which is added, An Abridged Law Dictionary, and The Fee Bill. Compiled by A Gentleman of the Bar. Philadelphia: Charles Bell, 1845. 12mo. 142 pp. Calf-backed printed boards. Boards soiled and a bit worn, light sporadic foxing, head and tail of spine chipped, front joint cracked. $200.
* Later edition, improved and enlarged. A handy guide of all the forms a man of business might need, i.e., negotiable note, promissory note, agreement for building a house, assignment of an apprentice, petition for vacating a road, insolvent petition, etc., etc. The forms are followed by an abridged law dictionary.

146. Littleton, Sir Thomas [1402-1481]. Les Tenures du Monsieur Littelton.... [London: Rychard Tottill], 1572. [2],170, [1] pp. Lacking rear colophon. Marginal tear to one leaf not affecting text. The slightest worming to upper margin of some pages not affecting text. Later (19th century?) quarter calf, raised bands, red leather lettering piece, gilt, over marble boards. Early owner’s signature on title page, a few marginal notes throughout. A nice copy. $1,000.
* A later edition in law French. Littleton’s Tenures, written in the reign of Edward IV, was the preeminent treatise on property law. Abandoning both Latin and Roman law in favor of the language of the courts, Littleton gave order to his subject by defining the various classes of property rights. He supported his propositions through actual cases, and when needed, through hypothetical cases. Coke praised Les Tenures as “the most perfect and absolute work that ever was written in any human science.” Beale, A Bibliography of Early English Law Books T26. Catalogue of the Library of the Law School of Harvard University (1909) I:1185.

147. Livingston, Edward. An Answer to Mr. Jefferson’s Justification of his Conduct in the Case of the New Orleans Batture. Philadelphia: William Fry, 1813. xi, 187 pp. Lacking two maps. Library stamp on base of title page, and all edges. Foxing. Handsomely rebound quarter calf over cloth, gilt lettering. $900.
* First edition. Howes 396. Sabin 41610.

141. [Lansing, John]. [New York]. An Essay on the Law of Mortgages, in the State of New-York. Albany: Packard & Van Bentruysen, 1824. 82 pp. Original paper boards, chipped at edges and spine, somewhat worn, a few stains. Untrimmed edges. Foxed. Ex-library, bookplate on front pastedown. Good. $250.
* Uncommon, a handful of copies held institutionally. Cohen notes that the work was attributed to John Lansing [1754-1829] who “held many legislative and judicial positions in both the New York and federal governments. He was a delegate to Federal Convention of 1787, but withdrew claiming that the Convention exceeded its authority by forming a new Constitution instead of simply amending the Articles of Confederation. He served as Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court and, from 1801 to 1814, as Chancellor of New York. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 9568. Catalogue of the Library of the Law School of Harvard University (1909) I:1117.

148. Livingston, Edward [1764-1836]. Exposé d’un Systéme de Législation Criminelle pour L’Etat de la Louisiane et Pour Les Etats-Unis D’Amérique.... Paris: Guillaumin, 1872. Two volumes. lxxii, 590; 647 pp. Contemporary half green calf over marbled boards, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt. Front covers rehinged, extremities rubbed, some foxing. With only these minor faults in a rather attractive binding. $500.
* First and only French edition. Livingston’s System “was revolutionary in character, and therefore had ardent adherents and violent opponents. It challenged the attention of the foremost thinkers of the work.... It was intended to be what has in recent years been called ‘social legislation’ for the prevention of crime, the reformation of the criminal, and the protection of society, and in no case merely for vengeance.... A reviewer said in 1836: ‘No one can fail to be impressed especially with the enlightened spirit of philanthropy, the single aim to benefit his fellow creatures, which breathes throughout these discussions; and to this may be added, that there is always an unaffected beauty and simplicity in the language, frequently rising, when the topic demands it, to a fervent eloquence, which will command the attention and interest of those who might be repelled by the gravity and want of imagination, with which such subjects are generally treated.’” Hicks, Men and Books Famous in the Law, pp. 179-180. While Livingston’s Code was never adopted, Bentham, Story, Marshall, Madison and Kent wrote him letters of approval. The “codes embody the most comprehensive and enlightened system of criminal law that has been presented to the world.” Marke, A Catalogue of the Law Collection at New York University (1953) 451. Hicks, Men and Books Famous in the Law, pp.159-189. Catalogue of the Library of the Law School of Harvard University (1909) I:1187. Marvin, Legal Bibliography (1847) 471.

149. Livingston, William [1723-1790] and William Smith, jun.[1728-1793]. [digesters]. Laws of New-York, from The 11th Nov. 1752, to 22nd May 1762. Published according to an Order of the General Assembly. The Second Volume, with A Table common to both Volumes. Digested by William Livingston, And Wiliam Smith, jun. New York: William Weyman, 1762. Folio. [4], 268 pp. Ex-library, stamp to base of title page and three other pages. Tear with no loss of text to top of errata page. Foxing. Attractively rebound in quarter calf, cloth. $950.
* First edition. Subscriber list includes John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Smith and Livingston had published an earlier volume of New York laws from 1691 to 1751. Smith’s career during the Revolution is unique in the annals of American Loyalism. For which, see DAB. William Livingston was the first governor of the state of New Jersey. Huntington Library, Check List of American Laws 668. Tower 625.

150. Lucanus, M. Annaeus. De Bello Civili, cum Hug: Grotii, Farnabii notis integris & variorum selectiss. Accurante Corn: Schrevelio. Amsterdam: Ex Officina Elzeviriana, 1669. Octavo. Woodcut initials and head-pieces. Engraved title-page, [14], folding map, 614, [146] pp. Later calf with original spine, raised bands, modern spine label. Gilt ruled edges. All edges marble, marbled endpapers. Rear joint cracked, but firm. Engraved bookplate. A good, clean, handsome copy. $375.

151. MacDonald, Grace E., compiler. Check-List of Legislative Journals of States of the United States of America. Providence: The Oxford Press, 1938. 274 pp. Cloth. Very good. $75.
* Revised bound edition of a preliminary list published in 1937. Published under a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, for the Public Document Clearing House Committee of the National Association of State Libraries. A comprehensive check-list of legislative journals, organized by state and year of publication.

152. [Magna Carta]. Magna Charta, cum statutis, tum recentibus, maximopere animo tenendis, iam nouiter excusa, & summa diligentia emendata & correcta. London: Imprinted for the Companie of Stationers, 1618. 8vo. [6], 258 leaves. Calf, rebacked with early spine laid down, and early covers retained. Raised bands, six compartments each with double ruled gilt border, devices on each but for spine label. Covers gilt with double ruled borders, gilt arms of Duke of Sutherland (Scottish reformer) on both covers. Edges rouged. Slight edgewear, some dampstaining. De Thou’s shelfmark on front pastedown. $2,000.
* STC 9285.

153. [Manuscript]. Lawyer’s Docket Book for the Firm of Leigh and Dittman. San Antonio: Dated November 22, 1871. 8vo. [5], 228 pp. Cloth, gilt. Marbled edges. Binding quite worn, soiled. Text block loose in binding. Foxed, some dampstaining. Manuscript entries on first 155 pages. $300.
* Contains entries describing the disposition of dozens of cases for a Texas law firm in the 1870s. Indexed. Many are perfunctory, such as “compromised and fully settled”, while others are more involved: “Resist motion to reduce alimony and amend filing...charging with adultery, committed Oct. 2nd/71 before and after.” Several cases are noted as being in the Supreme Court, and authorities are sometimes cited. A quite interesting document.

154. Manuscript Ledger. Ledger No. 6. N.p.: 1829-1844. Written in several neat clerical hands. Alphabetical index to clients. Folio. [23], 718 pp. Contemporary vellum, three leather decorative straps. Marbled endpapers. Edges speckled. Some soiling, some wear, internally fine. $350.
* A scrupulously kept ledger of fees incurred by the clients of a nineteenth-century firm of solicitors. Of some interest are the two pages [pp. 71 & 138] devoted to one of the firms clients, Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bt. [1792-1872], who was perhaps the most famous book collector of the nineteenth century. The firm’s name remains unidentified. Will certainly repay careful study.

155. [Manuscript]. Legal Handbook. [19th-century]. Oblong octavo. 80 pp., excluding blanks and index. Original calf, lacking backstrip. Worn, but completely intact. Written in an even, legible hand. $500.
* Cites numerous precedents and decisions on a wide variety of subjects. Topics include: aggravation; agency; bills of exchange; bankruptcy; consideration; damages; devises; deeds; ejectment; gaming; insanity; indictments; libel; landlord and tenant; malice; notice; perjury; partnerships; slander; trover; variance; usury; warrants; and many others.

156. [Manuscript]. Legal Handbook. English, late 17th-century. Folio. 77 leaves. Contemporary full vellum with ties. Soiled. Many pages spotted with glue stains, some scattered remains of newsprint. Text affected, but mostly legible. $300.
* The first twelve pages are completely filled with notes on numerous legal concepts and cases, while the rest are blank save for headings such as trespass, variance, etc.

157. [Manuscript]. Legal Notebook. English, 18th century. Folio. Ca. 260 pp. excluding blanks. Disbound, possibly missing a few leaves at front. Cropped closely, slightly affecting text on rectos. Some foxing, first and last leaves soiled. Handsomely preserved in quarter calf clam shell box. $1,000.
* Contains a large number of precedents, pleadings, and legal precepts, illustrating such headings as: action against an innkeeper; for keeping a dog accustomed to bite; contract; assumpsit; aliens; denizen; naturalization; amendment; capacity of infants; deeds; arbitrament; trespass; replevin; trial for record; colour; challenge; estoppel; witnesses; evidence; executors; verdict; liens; consideration; devises; remainders; recovery; etc. The notebook concludes with a synopsis of both Jean Domat’s (1625-1696) Treatise of Laws and writings by John Locke (1632-1704).

158. [Manuscript]. Remsen, John H. Manuscript Cash Book. New York: 1793-1798. 8vo. 246 pp. Disbound. Text gutters embrowned and dampstained, reaching text but not affecting legibility. Quite fragile but intact. Preserved in cloth clamshell box. $2,000.
* An important daily record detailing the cash receipts of the New York City attorney, John H. Remsen, who was a solicitor in the Court of Chancery. Remsen was associated with numerous prominent figures of the day in New York’s political and financial worlds. His dealings included making loans to Aaron Burr, John Jay, and Col. Duer, paying rent for Col. Rutger’s house, and conducting transactions for Joshua Isaacs, James Roosevelt, and many of the established Dutch families. Other entries concern the drawing of leases, letters, and wills, as well as the settling of the estate of his father, Henry Remsen. Recorded, too, are such things as the purchase of canal and New York state road lottery tickets, the distribution of money to the proprietors of Tontine Coffee House, and a French Consul certificate. This book is very definitely a unique historical document giving a fascinating picture of New York in the 1790s.

159. [Manuscript]. St. Anne’s Society. Manuscript Receipt Book. June 27, 1700-July 14, 171[6]. 8vo. Full contemporary vellum. Manuscript entries, as well as tipped in manuscript and printed receipt slips. Somewhat soiled but very good. $300.
* Includes entries signed by Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London, and many others.

160. [Marriage Law]. First Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the State and Operation of the Law of Marriage, As Relating to the Prohibited Degrees of Affinity, and to Marriages Solemnized Abroad or in the British Colonies; with Minutes of Evidence, Appendix, and Index. London: William Clowes and Sons, 1848. Folio. xl, 165 pp. Printed wrappers. Spine chipped with loss, otherwise very good. $300.
* Examines the effect of Lord Lyndhurst’s Act (Statute 5 and 6 Will. IV), passed in 1835, which prohibited the Ecclesiastical Courts from declaring null and void marriages within the proscribed degrees of affinity. Includes citations to many historical sources, such as the Code Napoleon and Justice Story, as well as direct testimonies. Indexed.