A Collection of 34 Scribal Briefs and Legal Documents, 23 Autograph de Legal Cases. England, 1722-1811 - 1722

1722. 71 ff. From the Library of Sir Thomas Phillipps. 71 ff. From the Library of Sir Thomas Phillipps. A Collection of Manuscript Legal Briefs From the Library of Sir Thomas Phillipps [Manuscript Archive]. Phillipps, Sir Thomas [1792-1872], Compiler and Former Owner. [A Collection of 34 Scribal Briefs and Legal Documents]. [England], 1722-1811. [71] ff. Folio (13-1/2" x 8-1/4"). Nineteenth-century plain yellow paper-covered (Middle Hill) boards, struck-through ink title ("Grenada Papers") and pencil annotation to spine. Light rubbing and soiling to boards, joints cracked, bottom portion of spine lacking, light wear to board edges and corners, which are bumped. Moderate toning to documents, horizontal fold lines, occasional light soiling, clean tears to several documents, a few of which are neatly mended with cellotape or tissue, a few documents torn or mended with minor loss to text, later (nineteenth-century) pencil notes to several documents. $5,000. * This collection of eighteenth and early nineteenth-century legal documents comes from the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps [1792-1872], an antiquarian and book collector. His profound devotion to antiquarian material, particularly to manuscripts, resulted in one of the largest private collections held by a single individual, if not the largest. This volume gathers 34 legal documents from the Inns of Court and Chancery. 23 are scribal briefs, 19 of which have autograph opinions on the cases by the attorneys involved. (The others are clerical copies which include the attorney's opinion.) The cases concerned a diverse array of topics, including wills, bankruptcy, family law, ecclesiastical matters and contracts. The other documents are petitions and orders, most involving bankruptcy or lunacy. The lawyers whose opinions are expressed in these legal cases include: George Harris [1716-1808], Doctors' Commons, King's serjeant; George Hill [1716-1808], Lincoln's and Furnival's Inn, King's serjeant; Humphrey Henchman [1669-1739], Doctors' Commons, civil lawyer and defense attorney for Henry Sacheverell; Sir Richard Perryn [1723-1803], baron of the exchequer; Sir George Hay [1715-1778], lawyer and politician; Sir George Sowley Holroyd [1758-1831], judge; Sir James Alan Park [1763-1838], judge; George Perrot [1710-1780], baron of the exchequer. Catalogus Librorum Manuscriptorum in Bibliotheca D. Thomae Phillipps, Bart. (1837) 19188.