PLOWDEN, EDMUND

Les Commentaries, Ou Reports [and] La Second Part de les Reports...

      Plowden, Edmund [1518-1585]. Les Commentaries, Ou Reports de Edmund Plowden, Un Apprentice de la Common Ley, De Divers Cases Esteant Matters en Ley, & De les Arguments sur Yceux, en les Temps des Raigns le Roy Ed. le Size, le Roign Mary, le Roy & Roign Ph. & Mary, & Le Roigne Elizabeth. Ouesque un Table Perfect des Choses Notables Contenus en Ycel, Compose per William Fletewood, Recorder de Dondres. Auxi Vous Aves en Cest Impression Plusors Bone Notes en le Margent per Tout le Lievr, en Queux les Cases Sont Referre al Abridgement de Brooke, En les Lievrs del Termes, & As Auters Lievrs del Common Ley. London: In Aedibus Thomae Wight, & Bonhami Norton, 1599. xxxiv, 401, [1] ff. [With] La Second Part de les Reports, Ou, Commentaries...Ouesque vn Table en Fine de Cest Lievr, Conteynant Touts les Principall Cases, Cibien de la Primier Part des Commentaries del Dist Monsieur Plowden, Come de Cell Second Part de Mesme Lauthour. London: In aedibus Caroli Yetsweirti Armigeri, 1594. [i], 403-565, [4], 15 ff. Two parts in one, each with title page. Small folio (11-1/2" x 7-1/2"). Contemporary calf, rebacked in period style with raised bands and lettering piece, corners restored, early hand-lettered title to fore-edge. Scuffing to boards, hinges and edges of front free endpaper and Part I title page carefully mended. Titles printed within elaborate woodcut architectural borders, woodcut decorated initials. Extensive contemporary annotations to endleaves, marginalia and occasional underlining throughout. Toning to text, light browning to outer edges of leaves in places. Later owner stamp (of William Waples) to a few leaves. An appealing copy with interesting annotations. $2,000. * Final sixteenth-century editions of both parts. First published in 1571 and covering the period of 1550-1580, Plowden's Reports marks the transition away from the cumulative method of Year Books to one based on exposition and commentary. In most respects it is a forerunner of the modern law report. Plowden, a Catholic, achieved a great professional reputation and was esteemed as one of the most learned lawyers of his time. He became an M.P. during Queen Mary's reign, but was gradually pushed out of public life a