BACON, Francis.

A remarkably fresh and clean copy, in its original condition and stitching, of the first edition of this important English work on the crime of treason. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), a lawyer and philosopher, often called ‘the father of empiricism’, was Attorney General under King James I, and Lord Chancellor of England. Published posthumously, ‘Cases of Treason’ is an encyclopaedia of all the laws pertaining to treason, in its various forms, with a description of the punishment, trial, and proceedings for each. The first few lines set the tone: ‘Where a man doth compasse or imagine the death of the King, the Kings Wife, the eldest Sonne, and Heire apparent, if it appeare by any overt act, it is Treason.’ There follows a long list of the sundry situations when a man may commit treason, including counterfeiting the royal seal, forging or trimming money, murdering a King’s justice, convincing another person to rebel against the King, not taking the Oath of Supremacy, and so on. Among the types highlighted are misprision of treason, petie treason, felony, felony de se, and premunire, together with abjuration and exile, and heresy. Final chapters focus on the King’s prerogatives in Parliament, in matters of war and peace, money, trade, and in respect of his subjects. The last three are devoted to answering Sir A. Hay’s question on the office of Constables, the Institution of the Court Leete, and the jurisdiction of Justices Itinerantes in Wales. An excellent copy.