1655 Liberties Franchises Rights & Laws Of English Freemen By Prynne CIVIL War

  

I have here for sale a VERY RARE book containing a number of English Civil War period publications entitled. 1 A SEASONABLE, LEGAL, HISTORICAL VINDICATION AND CHRONOLOGICAL COLLECTION OF THE GOOD OLD, FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTIES, FRANCHISES, RIGHTS AND LAWS OF ALL ENGLISH FREEMEN. Their best Inheritance, Birthright and only Security, irrefragably evinced by Parliamentary Records, Proofs and Presidents, During all the Britons, Romans, Saxons, Dames, Normans and English Kings Reigns, to this present. Collected for Publique Benefit and Recommended to the Whole Nation as a Legacy by William Prynne. Printed for Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britaine in 1679.

This is the Second Edition Corrected and Inlarged by the Author in his Life Time. An address to'All Truly Christian Free-men of England, Patrons of Religion, Freedom, Lawes, Parliaments, who shall peruse this Treatise' - 99 pages, by William Prynne, Swainswick, Aug 12th 1654. A Seasonable Legal and Historicall Vindication Part I - 104 pages but no title page, 1679. Part II - Title page, 76 pages, 1655. Part III - Facsimile Title page, (8), 402 pages, Errata. Though trained as a lawyer, Prynne began to publish Puritan tracts in 1627. Soon he was attacking the ceremonialism of the Anglican church and the alleged frivolous pastimes of his age. In his famous book Histrio Mastix: The Players Scourge, or, Actors tragoedie (1633), he tried to prove that stage plays provoked public immorality.

Many believed his vigorous denunciation of actresses was directed at Charles I's theatrically inclined wife, and the powerful Anglican William Laud (archbishop of Canterbury 1633-45) had him committed to prison in February 1633; a year later Prynne was sentenced to life imprisonment and his ears were partially cut off. Nevertheless, from his cell he issued anonymous pamphlets attacking Laud and other Anglican prelates, resulting in further punishments: the stumps of his ears were shorn (1637) and his cheeks were branded with the letters S.

Meaning "seditious libeler"-though he preferred "Stigmata Laudis" ("the marks of Laud"). Freed from prison by the Long Parliament in November 1640, Prynne devoted himself to bringing about the conviction and execution (January 1645) of Archbishop Laud. Then, as the Parliamentarians fragmented into Presbyterian (moderate Puritan) and Independent (radical Puritan) camps, Prynne wrote pamphlets attacking both factions and calling for a national Puritan church controlled by the king. As a member of the Convention Parliament of 1660, he supported the restoration of King Charles II to the throne; Charles rewarded him with the office of Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London in 1661. Prynne spent the last nine years of his life writing histories that contain valuable compilations of official documents.

Bound in tree calf leather hardboards with rebacked spine with gilt bands and a black leather title block with gilt lettering. Small wear to joints and board edges. Library bookplate to front endpaper for the Los Angeles Law Library with library stamp to front free endpaper.

Perforated library stamp to title page. Pages darkened and some light foxing. A couple of pages have been printed onto a slightly larger piece of paper so the bottom edge has been folded to the same size as the other pages around it. 19 cm x 13 cm.

We wrap and post the parcels on Monday and Tuesday - therefore if you pay before midday on Tuesday we will get it in the postal sacks on Tuesday night, and if it is after that time then it will go into the postal service on the following Monday.