first edition
1648
by Filmer, Sir Robert
1648. London, 1648. 1st ed. London, 1648. 1st ed. A Royalist Who Inspired Works by Locke and Sidney [Filmer, Sir Robert (d. 1653)]. The Free-Holders Grand Inquest Touching Our Soveraigne Lord the King and his Parliament. [London]:, S.n., Printed in the Three and Twentieth Year of the Raign of Our Soveraign Lord King Charles [i.e. 1648]. [viii], 64 pp. Quarto (7-1/4" x 5-1/4"). Recent quarter calf over marbled boards, gilt title and fillets to spine. Moderate toning to interior, owner initials in tiny early hand to head of title page. $1,500. * First edition. This was the first publication of a work by Filmer, a conservative English political theorist who defended the divine right of kings and inspired works by Locke and Sidney. It is a pro-Royalist survey of English law and constitutional history drawn from Bracton, Glanville, Ellesmere, and, to a larger extent, Coke and Selden. Its main point is summarized by a quote from Claudius Claudianus (Claudian) on the title page: "Anyone who believes that it is servitude to live under a prince is badly mistaken: there is no more welcome liberty than to be under a righteous king." Augmented with additional material, this work had three more editions, the last in 1684. English Short-Title Catalogue R202007.
(Inventory #: 74270)