An Exposition of Certaine Difficult and Obscure Words and termes of the lawes of this realme, newly set foorth and augmented, both in french and English, for the helpe of such younge students as are desirous to attaine the knowledge of ye same. Whereunto are also added the olde Tenures

RASTELL, John

Verlag: in aedibus Richard Tottell, London, 1579

Full Description: RASTELL, John. [RASTELL, William, Translator]. An An Exposition of Certaine Difficult and Obscure Words. and termes of the lawes of this realme, newly set foorth and augmented, both in french and English, for the helpe of such younge students as are desirous to attaine the knowledge of ye same. Whereunto are also added the olde Tenures. [London]: in aedibus Richard Tottell, [1579]. First edition under this title. Earlier editions in English were published under the title The expositions of the termes of the lawes of Englande with dyvers proper rules and principles of the lawe. This was a translation of Expositiones terminorum legum Anglorum which was first printed in 1523 with a Latin title and text in French. Text in two columns, in both French and English. French is in plain type, English is in black letter. Small octavo (5 5/8 x 3 3/4 inches; 145 x 95 mm). [2, blank], [4], 196 [ie 211], [2, blank] leaves. We could find no copies of the earlier edition and the earliest of this present copy being 1592 on Rare Book Hub in over 50 years. Full early calf, rebacked. Boards with central lozenge stamped in blind. Spine stamped and ruled in blind. Red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. Corners rubbed and bumped. A piece torn from the top margin of the title-page, affecting a few letters. Two initial blanks with some cuts through the center of the leaves. Pages are occasionally toned or lightly dampstained. a few pages with some mild soiling. Previous owner's old ink marginalila and notes throughout. Title-page with old ink signatures on both recto and verso. A small bookseller label to front pastedown. Overall a good copy. "The first edition of Rastell's law dictionary precedes in point of time the publication of the first general English dictionary, and is the most important English dictionary before Cowell's controversial Interpreter (1607). John Rastell d.1536] was a successful lawyer and printer. He published his dictionary around 1523 with the title Expositiones Terminorum Legum Anglorum. (Later editions are titled Termes de la Ley or An Exposition of Certain Difficult and Obscure Words). Immediately successful, it went through at least twenty-nine editions, the last appearing in 1819. Hicks praised its value and described it as useful for its insights into the state of the common law at the close of the year-book period. This early edition [present edition] is especially significant because it was printed by Richard Tottel fl. 1553-1594]. Tottel was an important London printer who owned the patent for many common law books." (From the back flap of the reprinted version of this present edition). Rastell was a British lawyer and printer who was exploring the parallels between English and French Law texts. "Rastells' work is notable in several ways. First, it is a lexicographic landmark because it antedates by 11 years the first general English dictionary, written by Sir Thomas Elyot. Second, for the its time it was a sophisticated piece of lexicography that would provide definitions for legal terms in other dictionaries for generations to come. (.John Bullokar (1616), Thomas Blount (1656), Edward Phillips (1658) and Henry Cockeram (1670) borrowed heavily from Rastell - and through the 18th century still other writers borrowed from them). Third, the side by side translations marked a typographic innovation for dictionary-makers; apart from the typefaces, the columns look surprisingly modern more than 400 years later. Fourth, the dictionary had an extraordinary life through 29 editions that spanned a period of 292 years (the final American edition having appeared in 1819) - a longevity that few if any other lawbook can rival." (Bryan A. Garner. Garner on Language and Writing.) "Exposiciones terminorum legum anglorum, later known as the Termes de la ley, is the first English law dictionary providing definitions of words in alphabetical order. It was undeniably popular and was issued in twenty-nine editions bet. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 69068

Bibliografische Details

Titel: An Exposition of Certaine Difficult and ...
Verlag: in aedibus Richard Tottell, London
Erscheinungsdatum: 1579
Einband: Hardcover
Auflage: 1. Auflage