An Historical Vindication of the Divine Right of Tithes, From...
An Important Reply to Selden's Historie of Tithes Comber, Thomas [1645-1699]. An Historical Vindication of the Divine Right of Tithes, From Scripture, Reason, And the Opinion and Practice of Jews, Gentiles, And Christians in All Ages. Designed to Supply the Omissions, Answer the Objections, And Rectifie the Mistakes of Mr. Selden's History of Tithes. London: Printed by S. Roycroft, for Robert Clavel, 1682. [xxviii], 247, [1] pp. Quarto (8" x 6"). Contemporary calf, rebacked in period style, blind rules and panels to boards, raised bands, blind ornaments and lettering piece to spine, upper corner of rear board and hinges mended. A few minor nicks and scuffs to boards, light rubbing and a few nicks to extremities, corners bumped and lightly worn, front free endpaper lacking, original lower half of final leaf (Ii4, p. 247) lacking with minor loss to text, the word "Finis" below last sentence, leaf carefully repaired with recent paper. Light toning to text, ginger smudges to a few leaves, light soiling to title page and rear free endpaper. Later owner signature to front pastedown, interior otherwise clean. $350. * First edition. Comber's spirited work is a reply to Selden's Historie of Tythes (1618), especially his claim that tithes are not a divine right, and an attack on Catholic and Protestant dissenters, most notably Quakers and Anglican churchmen who fail to give full, uncritical support to the Church of England. This book had a second edition in 1685. Both are scarce. OCLC locates 4 copies of the first edition in North American law libraries (Harvard, UC-Berkeley, University of Minnesota, University of Pennsylvania). English Short-Title Catalogue R6540.
Price: $350.00
Book number 65954