An Act for the More Easy and Speedy Recovery of Small Debts.

London: Mark Baskett, 1762. Kingston Upon Hull's 1762 Small Debts Act: A Landmark Legal Reform for Traders and Shipwrights [Great Britain]. [Debtors and Maritime Commerce]. George III [1738-1820], King of Great Britain. [An Act for the More Easy and Speedy Recovery of Small Debts, Within the Town and County of the Town of Kingston Upon Hull]. London: Printed by Mark Baskett, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty; And by the Assigns of Robert Baskett, 1762. With a general title page beginning Anno Regni Georgii III. Regis Magnae Britanniae, Franciae, & Hiberniae. [ii], 1011-1026 pp. Folio (12" x 8"; 30.5 x 20.3 cm). Disbound with spine reinforced using archival tape; moderate toning and foxing with a few minor chips to fore-edges. A good, complete copy. $250. * First and only edition. This 1762 Act of Parliament (2 Geo. 3 c. 38) played a crucial role in the economic life of Kingston upon Hull, one of Britain's most prominent maritime ports at the time. The legislation established a Court of Requests, offering a specialized and accessible forum for merchants, shipwrights, and small traders to resolve disputes over debts of 40 shillings or less, circumventing the high costs of common law courts. This was particularly vital in a port economy characterized by frequent low-value transactions, including bills of exchange and short-term trade credits. The Act not only facilitated commerce but also protected debtors by limiting recovery to the original debt amount, preventing excessive or punitive actions from creditors. This provision was a significant step toward more equitable debt recovery practices, particularly in a bustling maritime trade center like Hull. Printed by Mark Baskett, the King's Printer, this volume is a fine example of the high-quality typography produced by the Baskett Royal Printing House, with its authoritative layout reserved for government publications. This remains an important document for the study of 18th-century maritime commerce and provincial legal reform. English Short-Title Catalogue N56754.…