The Common-Wealth of England, And the Manner of Government Thereof...
Edition of a Classic Study of the English Constitution Published on the Eve of the Civil War Smith, Sir Thomas [1513-1577]. The Common-Wealth of England: And the Manner of Governement Thereof. Compiled by the Honourable Sir Thomas Smith, Knight, Doctor of Both Lawes, And One of the Principall Secretaries Unto the Two Most Worthy Princes, King Edward, And Queene Elizabeth. With New Additions of the Chief Courts in England, And the Offices Thereof, By the Said Author. London: Printed by R. Young for J. Smethwicke, 1640. [xiv], 272. [1] pp. Main title preceded by copperplate pictorial title page. 12mo. (5-1/2" x 3-1/4"; 13.97 x 8.25 cm). Contemporary speckled calf, blind rules to boards, blind fillets and small fragment of later paper title label to spine, edges rouged. Light rubbing and faint staining to boards, wear to spine ends and corners, small chip to fore-edge of front board, section of calf lacking from fore-edge of rear board, pastedowns loose. Light toning to interior, worm track from F5 to G9 (pp. 115-148) with minor loss to text, light soiling and moderate edgewear and creases to endleaves, early owner signature, "And: Newport," to foot of pictorial page, a small chip to its bottom edge. $400. * Written between 1562 and 1565, this work was first published in 1583 as De Republica Anglorum; The Manner of Government or Policie of the Realme of England. "It is the most important description of the constitution and government of England written in the Tudor age" (DNB). It went through eleven editions in English between 1584 to 1691. Four Latin editions appeared between 1610 and 1641. Abridged editions in Dutch and German were published in 1673 and 1688. Smith, an English scholar and diplomat, was Regius Professor of Civil Law at Cambridge University. Published two years before the formal outbreak of the English Civil War, the pictorial title page of our 1640 edition features an image of King Charles I, accompanied by angels, above Lady Justice and a figure representing the ship of state. This copy may have belonged to Andrew Newport [1622-1699], a Tory politician and courtier who held a number of posts during the Restoration era. Dictionary of National Biography XVIII:535, XIV:355-356. English Short-Title Catalogue S117652.
Price: $400.00
Book number 80181