Finch, Sir Henry

Law; Or a Discourse Thereof, in Foure Books Written in French By Sir Henry Finch Knight, His Maiesties Serieant at Law. and Done Into English By the Same Author

      [Miles Flesher for] the assignes of John More Esquire, 1636. I. L. trans. 8vo. A-Y8, Aa8, [2]B-L8. [Lacks blanks A1, & 2L8] [6 of 8], 504, [14 of 16]p. 19th c. 1/2 calf over marbled boards, rebacked with banded spine, title gilt; binding tight at inner margin. T.p. in decorative border. Head-pieces. Partly printed in black letter. Finch, Sir Henry (c.1558&endash; 1625), author and lawyer. “ After graduating BA and serving briefly as sub-lector of Christ's, Finch entered Gray's Inn. There his legal studies led to the composition (c.1585) of ‘ Nomotexnia', a brief but ambitious treatise which sought to systematize English common law along Ramist lines, as well as bringing it into closer conformity with the laws of Moses. ” This is an English tranlation of that work. “ Finch"s Law, till the publication of Blackstone"s Commentaries, was regarded as the best elementary book to be placed in the hands of the law students. It is one of the few attempts that have been made to reduce the common law into system...His definitions were exact, his style concise and nervous, and his illustrations clear and authentic. Most of the valuable parts of Finch are incorporated in Blackstone"s Commentaries. " [Sweet & Maxwell, I, 167: 11. ] STC 10872. ESTC s102058. Sweet & Maxwell (1925) I, 167: 11. Marvin 308.