Book #75137
Item #75137 The Case of Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury; As it was Argued before His. Trial, Anthony Ashley Cooper Shaftesbury, Earl of.
The Case of Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury; As it was Argued before His...

The Case of Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury; As it was Argued before His...

A Powerful Defense of Habeas Corpus [Trial]. Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of [1621-1683], Defendant. The Case of Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury; As it was Argued before His Majesties Justices of the Kings Bench, Trin. Term. 29. Car. 2. Being Upon His Confinement in the Tower &c. With a Speech of this Worthy Earl, Pleading His Own Case, And the Liberty of the Subject. London: Printed by K.P. for C.R., 1679. 16 pp. Folio (12" x 7-1/2"). Disbound stab-stitched pamphlet, fore and bottom edges untrimmed. Light toning, folio numbers to upper corners in an early hand, upper corner of first leaf lacking with minor loss to "E" of "Case," negligible light foxing and soiling to a few pages. $500. * Only edition. A founder of the Whig party and an important patron of John Locke, Shaftesbury was a prominent English politician during the Interregnum and reign of King Charles II. He frequently clashed with the king and Tory leadership, including in 1676, when he and allies argued that the current parliament was illegitimate and were subsequently sent to the Tower. When Shaftesbury's petition for release failed, he brought a writ of habeas corpus. "In a very powerful argument he admitted the supreme judicature of the lords, but denied their power to commit to indefinite imprisonment on a general warrant. The judges, however, said that they had no jurisdiction in the case, and Shaftesbury was sent back to the Tower" (DNB). Dictionary of National Biography (accessed online). English Short-Title Catalogue R4010.

Price: $500.00

Book number 75137