Reports of Divers Resolutions in Law, Arising Upon Cases in the Cases.
The Only Published Volume of Reports of the Court of Wards and Liveries Ley, Sir James [1550-1629]. Reports of Divers Resolutions in Law, Arising Upon Cases in the Court of Wards, And Other Courts at Westminster, In the Reign of the Late Kings, King James and King Charles. Collected by the Right Honorable, Sir James Ley, Knight and Baronet, Earl of Marlborough, &c. Whilst He was Attorney of the Courts of Wards and Liveries and Now Published for the Common Good, According to His Lordships Manuscript. With Two Exact Tables, the One of the Cases, And the Other of the Principal Matters Therein Contained. London: Printed by Tho. Roycroft for H. Twyford [et al.], 1659. [iv], 83, [9]; 27, [1] pp. Two parts in one volume. Folio (10-3/4" x 7"). Contemporary sheep, blind rules to boards, blind fillets along joints, raised bands and lettering piece to spine, gilt tooling to board edges. Light rubbing to boards, which are beginning to separate but secure, a few minor scuffs to front board, heavier scuffing to rear board, moderate rubbing to extremities, corners bumped and somewhat worn, armorial bookplate of the Earls of Macclesfield to front pastedown, small embossed Macclesfield crest to preliminaries, owner signature of Thomas Clarke to front free endpaper. Moderate toning to text, somewhat heavier in places, soiling to title page. $500. * First edition of the only published volume of reports of the Court of Wards and Liveries, which dealt with difficult issues relating to the property of minors and the insane. The Court of Wards and Liveries, in which the majority of cases are here reported, was abolished before the book appeared. "The other courts at Westminster" mentioned in the title are The Court of Star Chamber and King's Bench. Ley's 27-page Instructions for Our Master of Our Wards and Liveries, for the Better Authorizing and Directing of Him in the Execution of His Office, And Performance of Our Service is appended to the main text. Our copy of this title belonged to the Earls of Macclesfield. Housed in Shirbirn Castle, near Watlington, Oxfordshire, it was one of the finest private libraries in Great Britain. Thomas Clarke [1703-1764] was a lawyer and judge who served as Master of the Rolls. He was a protege and later close friend of the Thomas Parker, 1st Earl of Macclesfield [1666-1732], Lord Chief Justice from 171.
Price: $500.00
Book number 71926