Tracts, Legal and Historical. I. The Hammer of Iniquity

Book Description

1827. Pittilloch (Pittilloh), Robert [1621?-1698]. [Maidment, James, Editor]. Tracts, Legal and Historical. I. The Hammer of Iniquity. II. The Settling of the Scottish Judicatories. III. Oppression Under Colour of Law. Edinburgh: [Printed by Ballantyne and Co.], 1827. iv, p., 1 l., 14, 10 p., 1 l., iv, [3]-32 pp. Each section has title page and pagination, first section preceded by general title page. Quarto (8" x 6-3/4"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards and endpapers, top edge gilt. Moderate rubbing with some wear to spine ends, joints and corners. Early armorial bookplate to front pastedown, bookplate of Robert Maxtone Graham to front free endpaper, his signature to verso. Light foxing to endleaves. Early annotation to verso of title page, interior otherwise fresh. A nice copy of a rare title. * This book reprints three rare pamphlets on political and legal subjects. The first two were originally published in 1659, the third in 1684. Little is known about the author, though he may have been a barrister. According to the editor, "[t]he principal value of the ensuing fugitive pieces consists in the curious and valuable information, both legal and historical, which they contain; and which, although mixed up with much extraneous and tedious matter, will not, on that account, be unacceptable to the few individuals who take an interest in our national history.": Preface [iii]. Robert Maxtone Graham was a notable Scottish book collector. OCLC locates 12 copies, 4 in American law schools. According to Sweet & Maxwell, only 40 copies of this book were printed. See A Legal Bibliography of the British Commonwealth 5:93.

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