The Dialogue in English, Betweene a Doctor of Divinitie, And a.

London: Assignes of John More, Esquire, 1638. A Classic English Work on Equity and the Philosophy of Law that Influenced Blackstone [Saint German (Germain), Christopher]. The Dialogue in English, Betweene a Doctor of Divinitie, And a Student in the Lawes of England. Newly Corrected and Imprinted with New Additions. [London]: Printed by the Assignes of John More, Esquire, 1638. 176, [4] ff. Octavo (5-1/2" x 3"). Recent quarter morocco over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt fillets, gilt title and date to spine, edges rouged, endpapers renewed. Light rubbing to extremities, light offsetting to endleaves. Title printed within typographical border. Moderate toning to text, somewhat heavier in places, light chipping and edgewear to some leaves with no loss to text, light foxing (or spotting) and soiling to a few leaves, faint dampstaining to top-edge of first few leaves, corners of title page mended, ownership signature (of John Frederick Bowman) dated 1870 to title page with early annotations in a different hand to title page and pp. 61 and 129. $400. * Later edition. With the second dialogue. Written originally in Latin in 1523 and cast in dialogic form, this was the first work to study the role of equity in common law and, by its nature, was the first jurisprudential work written in England. It also considers the relative merits of common, canon and civil law, the nature and object of law, the religious and moral standards of law, the foundations of the common law and issues regarding the jurisdiction of Parliament. Doctor and Student appeared in numerous editions. An authority well into the eighteenth century, it influenced several writers, including Blackstone. The inscription dated 1870 on the title-page likely indicates the ownership of the young John Frederick Bowman (1850-1914), soon to become a solicitor in London. His father was the great British anatomist and surgeon Sir William Bowman, 1st Baronet (1816-1892). A classic example of an edifying book, this is just the kind of volume that a Victorian father might gift to a youthful son. English Short-Title Catalogue S116404.…