THE FIRST GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE COMMON LAW: 1672 FOLIO EDITION OF THE INTERPRETER, THE FIRST MANLEY EDITION, "PREVIOUS TO JACOBS' IT WAS THE BEST EXISTING LAW DICTIONARY"

COWELL, John (MANLEY, Thomas, editor). Nomooethe. The Interpreter, Containing the Genuine Signification of Such Obscure Words and Terms Used Either in the Common or Statute Lawes of This Realm. London: Printed by J. Streater, for H. Twyford, et al., 1672. Folio (8 by 13 inches), contemporary full calf rebacked with original spine and spine label neatly laid down, raised bands. $2600.

First edition of Thomas Manley's "considerably enlarged" revision of Cowell's 1607 law dictionary, the first large-scale dictionary of the common law, in nicely rebacked contemporary calf.

"The Interpreter was an enlargement of a treatise ascribed to Fitzherbert, entitled Les Termes de la Ley. It was the misfortune of Cowell to live in tyrannical times, and some of the author's enemies, among whom was Coke, discovered that the [1607 first edition] contained what they represented to be dangerous doctrines… Cowell, chiefly through Coke's influence, was thrown into prison, threatened to be hanged, and his Interpreter was suppressed by a royal proclamation and publicly burned… The edition of 1638 is purged of the objectionable passages. The Interpreter, by Thomas Manley, in 1672… has been considerably enlarged. Selden and other writers of and since his time have freely used the work, and previous to Jacobs' it was the best existing Law Dictionary" (Marvin, 233). After Manley's revision, The Interpreter remained a standard authority for well over a century. Bound with half title. First published in 1607, with at least two editions following before Manley's substantial revision; this is the first folio edition. Wing C6645. Sweet & Maxwell I, 7. Marvin, 233-34. Harvard Law Catalogue I, 477.

Faint dampstaint to last few leaves only, a few minor stains to generally clean text. Very good in contemporary calf.