£938
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs | 694
Auction: 13 July 2022 at 11:00 BST
comprising:
Wiseman, Sir Robert. The Law of Laws: or, the Excellency of the Civil Law, above all other Humane Laws whatsoever. London: by F. G. for R. Royston, 1657 [i.e. 1658]. First edition, 4to (18.3 x 14cm), contemporary sprinkled calf, rebacked, large armorial devices gilt to covers, title-page in red and black [ESTC R204077; Wing W3113];
Swinburne, Henry. A Briefe Treatise of Testaments and Last Willes. London: for the Companie of Stationers, 1611. Second edition ('Newly corrected and augmented with Sundry Principall Additions'), 4to (17.8 x 13.2cm), 18th-century sprinkled calf, spine gilt with red morocco label, initial blank apparently original, terminal errata leaf, old ink inscription ('Norton Place') to front pastedown, front joint cracked, A8, 2G8 and 2X8-2Y1 stained, a few side-notes in quire A just shaved [ESTC S118063; STC 23548];
Foley, Robert. Laws relating to the Poor, from the Forty-third of Queen Elizabeth to the Third of King George II. London: for T. Woodward, 1739. First edition, 8vo (20 x 11.5cm), contemporary calf, advertisement leaf, contemporary bookplate (James Nelthorpe), rubbed, joints superficially cracked [ESTC T113188: 6 copies in UK libraries);
Dalrymple, John. An Essay towards a General History of Feudal Property in Great Britain. London: A. Millar, 1757. First edition, 8vo (19.8 x 12.2cm), contemporary sprinkled calf, worm-track to foot of first few leaves not affecting text, corner of title-page excised [ESTC N9414];
Hale, Sir Matthew. The Original Institution, Power and Jurisdiction of Parliaments. London: Jacob Tonson [and others], 1707. First edition, 8vo (19.6 x 11.7cm), contemporary calf, rebacked, browning;
Selden, John. The Historie of Tithes. [London: no printer], 1618. First edition, 4to (19 x 14cm), contemporary limp vellum, title-page in red and black, bookplate (Angus MacDonald, M.D.), lacking final leaf (f4) and free endpapers, damp-staining to front and rear, closed tear in P2 [ESTC S117046; Pforzheimer 857; STC 22172.3];
and 6 others: Richard Brathwait, The English Gentleman, 1630 (first edition, 4to, contemporary calf, rebacked, damp-staining, lacking additional engraved title-page and 'Draught of the Frontispiece' leaf, also without final part 'Three Choices of Marriage' as in the variant noted by ESTC); Richard Bradley, The Country Gentleman and Farmer's Monthly Director, 1732 (sixth edition, 8vo, contemporary calf, engraved frontispiece, bound after a defective copy of The Country Lady's Director, lacking prelims); [John Godolphin, Repertorium canonicum, 1680] (4to, contemporary calf, lacking at least the title-page); [Remigio Nannini, Civill Considerations upon many and sundrie Histories, 1601] (4to, contemporary calf, numerous leaves including title-page supplied in modern manuscript); Richard Burn, The Justice of the Peace, and Parish Office, 1762 (seventh edition, 3 volumes, 8vo, contemporary calf, small worm-track to front of volume 1 touching imprint in title-page, set not collated); and William Leybourn, Panarithmologia: or, the Trader's Sure Guide, 1727 (fourth edition, 8vo, browning and damp-staining) (14)
Note: One other copy of The Law of Laws traced at auction, in 1965; the work is an argument for the revival of Roman law and for the recourse to civil law 'where our own law fails'. 'Unlike other contemporary reformers [Wiseman] also argued for the legalization of torture to extract confessions' (ODNB).
Provenance: Professor G. E. Aylmer FBA (1926-2000), historian of 17th-century England and sometime master of St Peter’s College, Oxford (with his bookplates).