Fitzherbert, Sir Anthony

La Graunde Abridgement, Collecte par le Iudge Tresreverend Monsieur

      Fitzherbert, Sir Anthony [1470- - 1538]. La Graunde Abridgement Collecte par le Iudge Tresreverend Monsieur Anthony Fitzherbert, Dernierment Conferre Ouesque la Copye Escript et per ceo Correcte, Ouesque le Nombre del Sueil, Per Quel Facilement Poies Trover les Cases cy Abrydges en les Livers Dans, Novelment Annote: Iammais Devaunt Imprimes. [And] La Secounde Part du Graund Abridgment. [And] Tabula. Cy Ensuit la Table pur Trover les Titles. London: Richard Tottell, 1577. 1 Volume. [ii], 342 [i.e. 341]; [ii], 265; [ii], 66 ff. First and second parts have title pages. Small folio (10" x 7"). Later reversed calf, blind rules to boards, endpapers renewed, raised bands to spine, recently rebacked retaining lettering piece, hinges mended. Moderate rubbing and scuffing to boards, corners worn. "F. Pollock/ Linc: Inn-" to front pastedown. Handsome woodcut architectural borders to title pages, woodcut initials. Toning, faint dampstaining and occasional dampspotting to first quarter of text. Occasional annotations in early hand. A nice copy with an appealing association. * Second Tottell edition. Arguably one of the most imposing volumes in the history of English law, Fitzherbert abridged 13,485 cases under 263 titles in alphabetical order. It was the first serious attempt to set the law down in systematic shape, and served as a model to such writers as Brooke and Rolle. According to Boersma, Fitzherbert accomplished "nothing less than to abridge all notes of significant cases at common law." In Law Library Journal, Graham and Heckel refer to this work as the "book that 'made' the common law" (51: 100-101). Sir Frederick Pollock [1845-1937] was one of the greatest British judges and legal scholars of his day. His treatises on contracts, jurisprudence the common law and other subjects did much to clarify and systematize English law. Several of these were standard texts that went through several editions. He is also remembered for his collaboration with F.W. Maitland on The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I and his correspondence with Oliver Wendell Holmes, which was published posthumously as The Holmes-Pollock Letters. Beale, Bibliograph. [Attributes: Soft Cover]