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Nelson, William.
The Laws concerning Game. Of Hunting, Hawkings, Fishing and Fowling, &c. And of Forests, Chases, Parks, Warrens, Deer, Doves, Dove-cotes, Conies: And also of Setting-dogs, Grey-hounds, Lurchers, Nets, Tunnels, Lowbels, Guns, and all Manner of Engines and Instruments mentioned in the several Statutes to destroy the Game; shewing who are qualified by Law to keep and use them, and the Punishments of those who keep them, not being qualified. Likewise the proper Seasons, allowed by Act of Parliament for Hunting, Fishing and Fowling. Together with the Forest Laws: Shewing the Method of Chusing, and Oaths of the Respective Officers; and the Authority, Power and Duty of Chief Justice in Eyre, Clerks of the Peace, Keepers, Lords of Manors, Parkers, Rangers, Regarders, Sheriffs, Stewards of Forest Courts, Stewards of leets, Verderors, Wardens and Woodwards.
Publisher: Printed by E. Richardson and C. Lintot, Law-Printers to King’s most Excellent Majesty; for T. Waller, opposite Fetter-Lane, Fleet-Street, London;
Date of Publication: 1762
Stock Code: 14811
Stated sixth edition, after the 1727 original. Duodecimo, pp., xvii, [1], 255, 27 of index, iv of appendix, sig., A³ a⁶ B-N¹² (-N11). Without the second appendix as described by some institutional cataloguers, possibly indicating this is an earlier issue, additional leaf of short rules on forest law from an unidentified publication pasted to front paste-down. Contemporary full sheep, titled in gilt to black leather spine label, blind rolls and double-fillets to boards, rolls to edges. New end-papers. Joints cracked but hinges holding, rubbing to corners, boards, and spine, light soiling to boards. Contents generally clean and neat. A good copy. A compendium of laws on hunting in England. William Nelson (b. 1652/3) was called to the bar in 1684, but spent much of his career writing on English law for non-expert readers. Nelson’s abridgements were designed to be clear and useful, and his work on hunting law was a standard source in the period. £200.00