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Proceedings at the Assizes... [And] Supplementary to the Trial...

Trials; Hurry, William; Watson, John

Scarce Perjury and Malicious Prosecution Trials [Trials]. Hurry, William, Defendant. Watson, John, Defendant. Proceedings at the Assizes at Thetford, On the 8th of March, 1786, And the 24th of March, 1787, In the Trial of William Hurry, Merchant, Of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, On an Indictment Preferred Against Him by John Watson, Attorney at Law, Then Mayor Elect of the Said Borough, For Wilful and Corrupt Perjury: And in the Action Against the Said John Watson, Then Mayor of the Said Borough, Brought by the Said William Hurry, For a Malicious Prosecution of Him by the Above Indictment [...]. Norwich: Printed and Sold by Chase and Co. [et al.], [1787]. 60 pp. [Bound with] Watson, John, Defendant. Supplementary to the Trial of Hurry Against Watson: A Report of the Argument in the Common Pleas, Upon a Motion for a New Trial, In Trinity Term Last. In Which the Conduct of the Special Jury, In the Giving of Their Verdict, Was Agitated, And the Doctrine, Respecting the Power of the Court to Set Aside Verdicts for Excessive Damages, Fully Discussed. Together with a Relation of the Final Issue of this Long-Contested Business. Norwich: Printed and Sold by Chase and Co [et al.], 1787. 25, [1] pp. Quarto (9-1/2" x 7-3/4"). Stab-stitched pamphlets bound in later nineteenth-century-style three-quarter calf over marbled boards, blind fillets to calf edges, lettering piece and gilt and blind fillets to spine, later armorial bookplate of R.C. Fiske to front pastedown and ms note by Fiske to front free endpaper. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, some scuffs and nicks to spine, rear hinge just starting at head, faint offsetting to endleaves. Moderate toning to interior, light foxing in a few places of Proceedings, fore and bottom edges of Supplementary untrimmed with occasional light foxing and soiling, somewhat heavier to title page and final leaf, which is mended neatly at bottom-edge. $1,500. * Only editions; Proceedings: first issue. In 1786, Watson prosecuted Hurry for perjury after the latter testified that Watson owed him 35 shillings. Hurry was acquitted and immediately counter-sued for malicious prosecution. The proceedings were long and bitter. Hurry was initially awarded ?3,000 in damages, reduced to ?1,500 on appeal. Ronald Clive Fiske [d.2018] was a promin.

Price: $1,500.00

Book number 73456