The Charter Granted By Their Majesties King William And Queen Mary, To The Inhabitants Of The Province Of The Massachusetts-Bay In New-England -

Arkose Press. hardcover. New. 6x1x9. Brand New Book in Publishers original Sealing

Boston: S. Kneeland, 1759. Full-Leather. Very Good. Tall Quarto. 503pp page 319/320 used twice and page 323/324 skipped. Kneeland in 1759 reissued the charter following the reprint of 1726. John Brewer's copy who has penned his genealogy on verso of first title page. First 3 leaves archivally backed. Second section of acts goes to 1766.Book handsomely rebound to period in full sheep , raised bands and leatgher label. Foxed.

Boston: Samuel Kneeland and Timothy Gree, 1742. [2],14,28,[2],337,[1],339-340,341-344pp. Folio. Contemporary blind-tooled calf, expertly rebacked in matching style, spine gilt, leather label. Contemporary ink inscriptions on covers; contemporary inscription: "Watertown's Law Book Red [?] March 1, 1743." Browning, dampstaining, and some soiling and foxing. Small hole in margin of CHARTER with loss of a few letters. A good copy. The "Table" of the ACTS is bound before the ACTS. Bound at the end of the volume are two subsequent Massachusetts ACTS AND LAWS printed in 1743, pp.339-340 (EVANS 5237) and pp.341-344 (EVANS 5238). A fine mid-18th-century collection of the laws of Massachusetts. This copy includes, as is often the case with this and earlier collected editions, the separately issued CHARTER (here bound first) and the full compilation of laws printed in 1742. Such compilations often are found with subsequent Massachusetts laws. Present here are two additional ACTS from 1743. A very good source… Read More

Boston: B. Green, 1726. 14,17,[1],[2],348pp. Lacks title-leaf of CHARTER. With an imperfect copy of a session law bound in at rear (pp.349-352). Folio. Contemporary blind-tooled calf. Covers and joints worn and scuffed, corners and edges abraded. Contemporary ownership inscription ("Peter T. Washburn No. 1182") on first page of CHARTER. Moderate soiling and dampstaining, particularly in margins. A good copy. The second collected edition of the laws of Massachusetts, preceded only by the 1699 edition. This copy includes, as issued, the separately printed CHARTER... (here bound first, as usual), the full 1726 laws, and a fragment of the first session law issued after the complete volume. A fine source for early colonial legal, political, and social history. EVANS 2762. SABIN 45568 (ACTS AND LAWS), 45573 (CHARTER)

Boston: Printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1731. Folio, pp. (2)2-14. 1-17(1) [Table]; (2)-347(1);349-456. Royal Arms woodcut on title-page, repeated as sectional headpieces. Bound in contemporary paneled calf (finely rebacked in style, corner tips and top of title-page repaired). Some browning and fraying of preliminary leaves, and along the edges, pen trials throughout). Provenance: dated inscription of Oakes Angier (176(0), partially torn into; presented to David Kingman, 1778; then presented to Simon Greenleaf from Ezra Kingman in 1812; Amherst College, manuscript inscription, withdrawn. Copies in the trade are rare, none have appeared in ABPC for the last 25 years. Evans 2762; 2900, 2901, 2902, 3054, 3055, 3056, 3057, 3182, 3306, 3307, 3440. The Massachusetts General Laws and Liberties were first promulgated in 1648 and the earliest surviving published collection of them was printed in 1660. The have been regarded as the first modern legal code of the western world. The laws retained some… Read More

Boston: B. Green ... for Benjamin Eliot .., 1726. Two parts: [2], 14 [Charter]; [2], 347 [Acts], [1], 17 [Table] pp. Two parts with separate title-pages and pagination. 1 vols. Folio. Contemporary calf tooled in blind. Some rubbing and wear, free endpapers missing, last few leaves frayed, piece torn from margin of final leaf, slightly affecting a few letters, some foxing, soiling, occasional minor tears or fraying. Contemporary ownership signature of Capt. John Rounsevell on first title-page. Two parts: [2], 14 [Charter]; [2], 347 [Acts], [1], 17 [Table] pp. Two parts with separate title-pages and pagination. 1 vols. Folio. Laws & Charter of Mass., 1726 - with King George's "Explanatory Charter". An attractive, unsophisticated copy of this early and important compilation of the Acts and Laws of the Province of Massachusetts, as organized under the terms of the charter of William & Mary. That charter, which was enacted May 14, 1692, included Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony, Martha's… Read More