An Account of the Execution of the Late Laurence Earl Ferrers...
The Last Peer Hanged as a Common Criminal [Execution]. Ferrers, Lawrence (Laurence) Shirley, Earl [1720-1760]. An Account of the Execution of the Late Laurence Earl Ferrers, Viscount Tamworth, And of His Lordship's Behaviour, From the Time of His Being Delivered into the Custody of the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Until the Time of His Execution. By the Authority of the Sheriffs. London: Sold by M. Cooper in Pater-noster Row, 1760. 11, [1] pp. Folio (12-3/4" x 8"; 32.6 x 20.3 cm). Stab-stitched pamphlet in self-wrappers, thread perished, edges untrimmed. Light toning, light soiling to exterior, horizontal fold line, some faint creasing to spine and final leaf. A very good copy in its original state. $250. * Only edition, one of two issues from the same year (the other published in Dublin by Faulkner). Lord Ferrers was apparently a pleasant man, if arrogant, when sober, but prone to violent rages and brutality while drunk. After six years of abuse, his wife left him and returned to her family. She applied to Parliament for, and received, an order for maintenance. This came from a separate trust administered by Ferrers's steward, John Johnson. The Earl eventually convinced himself that Johnson was plotting against him, stealing his money and having an affair with his estranged wife. During a meeting he ordered Johnson to kneel and to beg pardon. Ferrers shot Johnson when he complied with this order. As established at trial, Ferrers had been sober when he shot Johnson, but quickly took to the bottle and assaulted the wounded man again. Johnson eventually died. Ferrers employed an insanity defense but was unsuccessful. He was sentenced to be hanged and anatomized, the last peer to be executed in this manner. OCLC locates 7 copies of this issue in North America. English Short-Title Catalogue T18836.
Price: $250.00
Book number 84095