The New Instructor Clericalis, Stating the Authority, Jurisdiction...
Scarce First Edition of the First Systematic Account of the Court of Common Pleas Impey, John [d. 1829]. The New Instructor Clericalis, Stating the Authority, Jurisdiction, And Modern Practice of the Court of Common Pleas. With Directions for Commencing and Defending Actions, Entring up Judgments, Suing Out Executions, And Proceeding in Error. To Which are Added, The Rules of the Court, Modern Precedents, And Several Other Matters Necessary to be Known by Attornies and Their Clerks, In Town and Country. The Whole illustrated by Useful Notes and Observations from the Best Authorities, With the Addition of a Copious Index. London: Printed for the Author; By W. Strahan and W. Woodfall, 1784. [iv], 695, [49] pp. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5"). Later cloth, gilt title, fillets, publication date and library name to spine, endpapers renewed. Light rubbing to extremities, library bookplate and shelf label to front pastedown. Light toning to text, offsetting to margins of preliminaries and final few leaves, small library stamp to title page and a few other leaves. $650. * First edition. This book offered the first systematic account of the practice of this court. Its tenth and final edition was published in 1826. "Before Mr. Impey's meritorious labours, the attorney must have had to rely upon information delivered on tradition only; and such information, sometimes diversely given, even by officers of the Courts; the books of that gentleman first embodied much of the general practice" (Marvin). Impey also published a similar guide to the court of King's Bench in 1782, which was equally successful. Despite their popularity, early editions of both works are scarce. Marvin, Legal Bibliography 408. English Short-Title Catalogue T113133.
Price: $650.00
Book number 73438