Les Plees del Coron, Divisees in Plusors Titles, London, 1583.
The First Printed Work Devoted Solely to Criminal Law Staunford, Sir William [1509-1558]. Les Plees del Coron, Divisees in Plusors Titles & Comon Lieux. Per Queux Home Pluis Redement & Plenairement Trover a Quelque Chose que Il Quira, Touchant les Dits Plees, Composees per le Tres Reuerend Iudge Monsieur Guilliaulme Staundforde Chiualer, Dernierment Corrigee Auecques un Table Parfaicte des Choses Notables Contenus en Ycelle, Nouelment Reveu & Corrigee. [London]: In Aedibus Richardi Tottelli, 1583. [xii], 196 [i.e. 198] ff. Quarto (7-1/4" x 5-1/2"). Later three-quarter calf over marbled boards, rebacked, gilt title and blind fillets to spine, edges rouged, endpapers renewed. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, corners bumped and somewhat worn, hinges cracked, armorial bookplate (of James Bros) to front pastedown, bookplate (of J.M.B. Crawford, dated January 4, 1979) to front free endpaper. Title printed with woodcut architectural border. Moderate toning, headlines affected in a few places by trimming, minor worming to lower outside corners of final 42 leaves, light soiling to title page. $1,500. * The definitive edition and the edition owned by Thomas Jefferson. Based on Bracton and the Year Books, Staunford's treatise is divided into three parts. The first treats offences, the second jurisdiction, appeals, indictments, and defenses. The third deals with trials and convictions. First published posthumously in 1557, Plees was written after Staunford was appointed judge of the common pleas in 1554. "The greatest" of his works, it "was the first legal textbook in England to adopt the practice of citing specific authorities for every proposition, and as such had a major influence on legal literature" (ODNB). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (accessed online). Beale, A Bibliography of Early English Law Books T490. English Short-Title Catalogue S117812.
Price: $1,500.00
Book number 72707