Every Man His Own Lawyer: Or, A Summary of the Laws of England.. - 1757

1757. Handsome Binding [Jacob, Giles (1686-1744)]. Every Man His Own Lawyer: Or, A Summary of the Laws of England in a New and Instructive Method, Under the Following Heads, Viz. I. Of Actions and Remedies, Writs, Process, Arrests, and Bail. II. Of Courts, Attornies and Solicitors Therein, Juries, Witnesses, Trials, Executions, &c. III. Of Estates and Property in Lands and Goods, and How Acquired; Ancestors, Heirs, Executors and Administrators. IV. Of the Laws Relating to Marriage, Bastardy, Infants, Ideots, Lunaticks. V. Of the Liberty of the Subject, Magna Charta, The Habeas Corpus Act, and Other Statutes. VI. Of the King and His Prerogative, The Queen and Prince, Peers, Judges, Sheriffs, Coroners, Justices of the Peace, Constables, &c. VII. Of Publick Offences, Treason, Murder, Felony, Burglary, Robbery, Rape, Sodomy, Forgery, Perjury, &c., And Their Punishment. All of Them so Plainly Treated of, That All Manner of Persons May be Particularly Acquainted With Our Laws and Statutes, Concerning Civil and Criminal Affairs, And Know How to Defend Themselves and Their Estates and Fortunes; In All Cases Whatsoever. With Additions. [London]: Printed by Henry Lintot, 1757. [ii], vi, 456, [14] pp. Publisher advertisement facing title page. Octavo (7-3/4" x 4-3/4"). Contemporary calf, blind rules to boards, blind fillets along joints, raised bands and lettering piece to spine. Light rubbing and some minor scuffs and scratches to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, faint creasing to spine, small chip to head of spine, another to foot, corners bumped and somewhat worn, hinges cracked, a few cracks to text block, signature R (pp. 241-256) somewhat loose but secure, rear free endpaper partially detached. Moderate toning, light soiling, faint dampstaining and offsetting from pressed leaves in places, moderate edgewear to preliminaries, a final leaves of text block, annotations in early hand to endleaves, early inscription (Thomas Palmer/ His Lawbook) to verso of title page. $450. * Fifth edition. This popular guide reached its eleventh and final edition in 1791; it was reissued at least two more times in the 1800s. The mention of "All Manner of Persons" in the subtitle is significant. Jacob, though certainly interested in boosting sales by attracting the widest audience possible, was an idealist who believed that widespread knowledg.