1641 · London
by Rastell, John
London: printed by Jo. Beale and Rich. Hearne, 1641. Small 8vo, pp. [12], 271 leaves [i.e. 542 pages]; printer's device on title page, English and French in parallel columns; ca. 1800 mottled calf, gilt-decorated spine, red and black morocco labels, label at bottom reading "509" in gilt - private shelf mark?); front hinge slightly cracked, bound without the preliminary and terminal blank leaves, leaf B4 with old vertical fold and temoine at fore-edge; a few leaves with text trimmed close at the top, but in all a nice copy in a modern cloth slipcase. A translation of Expositiones terminorum legum Anglorum, sometimes attributed to John Rastell's son, William, who is usually considered to be the editor or translator. First published in 1523, the book went through 13 editions in the 16th century alone, most of which are rare. It is the first dictionary of English law. Wing R287; ESTC locates 7 copies in the U.S.: Boston Public, Columbia, Folger, Harvard, Huntington, Newberry, and Yale. This edition not in Vancil.
(Inventory #: 60697)