A Collection of all the Statutes, From the Beginning of Magna Carta...
The First Edition with Statutes Translated from Latin and French [Rastell, William (1508-1565), Compiler]. A Collection of All the Statutes, From the Beginning of Magna Charta, Unto this Present Yeare of our Lord God 1579. Newlye Augmented, And Diligentlie Perused. Whereunto are Added Two Verie Necessarie Tables. The One Declaringe by Order of alphabet, All the Severall Titles (...) In the Other Table Being at the End of This Booke, Are Set Downe the Severall Times of the Parliaments, Wyth the Titles at Large, Of Every the Statutes Made Therein.... [London: Imprinted...by Christopher Barker, printer to the Queenes Maiestie], 1579. [xliv], 640, [12] ff. Main text in parallel columns. Folio (9-1/4" x 6-1/4"). Contemporary paneled calf, later repairs to fore-edges replacing locations of hasps, traces of clasps to fore-edges of rear board, raised bands and later lettering piece to spine, later repair to head of spine, endpapers renewed. Light rubbing, front board beginning to separate but secure, crack in text block between Llll8 and A1 (ff. 640, [1]), Signature KK (ff.313-320) slightly loose but secure, later armorial book plate (Somerhill Library) to front pastedown. Moderate toning to interior, light wear to fore-edges of final leaves, faint dampstaining to head of text block above headlines, somewhat more noticeable in places, carefully repaired tear to leaf Llliii (ff. 635) with no loss to text, light soiling to title page, a few minor stains along its edges. $3,500. * One of the great landmarks of sixteenth-century English legal literature, Rastell's topically digested "great collection of statutes from Magna Carta to his own day" was first published in 1557. It supplanted all previous compilations because, as Holdsworth notes, it has the statutes arranged alphabetically by topic. Holdsworth, A History of English Law IV:311-312. English Short-Title Catalogue S101089. Beale, Bibliography of Early English Law Books S66.
Price: $3,500.00
Book number 75646