Les Termes de la Ley. Newly imprinted and much inlarged.

RASTELL, John.

Published by London: Assigns of John More, 1636

Revised edition, formerly in the library of the lawyer and antiquarian Daniel Fleming (1633-1701), of this popular legal textbook in English and French, in an unsophisticated contemporary binding. Les Termes de la Ley was originally published as The exposicions of ye termys of the law in 1527 by the printer and barrister John Rastell (1475-1536); it continued to be regularly reprinted for over a century, as a precious resource for lawyers. It was "an elementary introduction to law - including. brief explanations of the principal writs - arranged alphabetically. Besides property law [it] includes definitions of contract and of the several felonies. In its numerous successive editions the Termes de la Ley became one of the most widely-owned reference books on English law" (Baker, pp. 715-20). The earliest owner, Edward Gwynn, entered Middle Temple in 1610 and owned a significant library characterized by distinctive bindings with his gilt-lettered name and initials. He owned what is now the only complete, extant copy of a collection of nine works by Shakespeare, known as the "Pavier quartos" (now at the Folger), published in 1619 with false imprints by the Jaggard family. Fleming was a member of Gray's Inn and a keen scholar of the antiquities of his native Westmoreland. His autograph appears on the front free endpaper and the title page, as always in the 1,500 or so books he owned. He noted in pen, just below the imprint, some bibliographical information on this work, citing its 1685 edition. Provenance: Daniel Fleming, sale, Christie's, 26 February 1969 Michael Papantonio Stephen C. Massey. ESTC S122305; STC (2nd ed.), 20718. "Edward Gwynn d.1645", English Book Owners Online; J. Baker, "John Rastell and the Terms of the Law", in J. Baker, ed., Collected Papers on English Legal History, 2014. Octavo (170 x 110 mm). ff. [8], 302, [1]. Woodcut vignette to title, decorated initials and ornaments. Text in double column, in parallel English and French. Contemporary English polished calf, covers triple blind ruled, "Edward * Gwynn" gilt to front cover, "E G" to the rear cover, flat spine, compartments triple gilt ruled. Contemporary manuscript initials TL to pastedown and title, and manuscript shelfmark to flyleaf. Head of spine worn, joints rubbed, contents evenly toned: a very good copy. Seller Inventory # 181051

Bibliographic Details

Title: Les Termes de la Ley. Newly imprinted and ...
Publisher: London: Assigns of John More, 1636