Fleta, Seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani Sic Nuncupatus, Sub Edwardo...
First Printing of Selden's Edition of Fleta and His Ad Fletam Dissertatio Selden, John [1584-1645], Editor. Fleta, Seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani Sic Nuncupatus, Sub Edwardo Rege Primo Seu Circa Annos ab Hinc CCCXL. Ab Anonymo Conscriptus, Atque e Codice Veteri, Autore Ipso Aliquantulum Recentiori, Nunc Primum Typis Editus. Accedit Tractatulus Vetus de Agendi Excipiendique; Formulis Gallicanus, Fet-Assavoir Dictus. Subjungitur Etiam Joan. Seldeni ad Fletam Dissertatio Historica. London: Typis M.F. Prostant Apud Guil. Lee, & Dan. Pakeman, 1647. [viii], 64, 63-452, [2], 453-553, [3] pp. Pagination irregular, text complete. Quarto (8-3/4" x 6-3/4"). Contemporary calf, blind rules to boards, rebacked with raised bands, blind fillets, lettering piece and gilt date to spine, endpapers renewed. Light rubbing and a few shallow scuffs and scratches to boards, front board separating but secured by cords, moderate rubbing to extremities, rear joint cracked, light wear and chips to spine and spine ends, corners bumped and worn, later bookplate (of V.A. Cowan) to front pastedown. Title page printed in red and black. Moderate toning to interior, light browning in places, minor worming to lower gutter, text not affected, light soiling in a few places, faint dampstaining to pp. [vi]-[viii], early ownership signatures (of "Tho[ma]s Davies" and "John Shepheard") to title page. $350. * First edition. The work by an anonymous author describes the practice of the courts, the forms of writs and an explanation of law terms as they existed during the reign of Edward I. Selden brought this ancient treatise to the public's attention and was instrumental in its publication. While Bracton earns the highest praise as the father of legal learning, Fleta earns a share of it for the illustrations he offered to some of the obscurities found in Bracton. Selden's appended dissertation (pp.453-553) contains many interesting observations about Bracton, Britton, Fleta, and Thornton "and shows what use was made of the Imperial law in England whilst the Romans governed here, at what time it was introduced into this nation, what use was formerly made of it, how long it continued, and when the use of it totally ceased in the King's Courts at Westminster" (Bridgman). Bridgman, A Short View of Legal Bibliogra.
Price: $350.00
Book number 75721