A Booke of Entries (1614)

Creator

Sir Edward Coke

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Creation Date

1614

Description

Coke, Sir Edward. A Booke of Entries: Containing Perfect and Approved Presidents of Counts, Declarations, Informations, Pleints, Inditements, Barres, Replications, Reioynders, Pleadings, Processes, Continuances, Essoines, Issues, ... [etc.]. 1st ed. London: Printed for the Societie of Stationers, 1614. Private collection.

Drawing from Sir Edward Coke's experience both as solicitor and judge, his book of precedents claims to correct some of the problems of earlier works and to include only previously unpublished entries. Despite these claims, many of the same pleadings are found in his Reports, and, unlike William Rastell (1508–1565), Coke (1552–1634) neglected to add precedents for some of the more contemporary issues. Regardless of any deficiencies, this was one of the four works the redactors of the 1705 revisal of the Virginia laws in force ordered out of England in 1699.

This copy, on loan from a private library, previously belonged to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His bookplate is on the front pastedown. Other previous owners' signatures are on the title page.

View bookplate and signatures as additional files, below.