Officium Vicecomitum, The Office and Authoritie of the Sherifs..

1623. London, 1623. 1st ed.. London, 1623. 1st ed. First Edition of the First English Treatise on Sheriffs Dalton, Michael [d.ca. 1648]. Officium Vicecomitum: The Office and Authoritie of Sherifs. Written for the Better Incouragement of the Gentrie (Upon Whom the Burthen of This Office Lyeth) to Keepe Their Office, And Undersherife, In Their Houses; That so by Theire Continuall Care of the Businesse, And Eye Over Their Officers, They May the Better Discharge Their Dutie to God, Their Prince, And Countrey, In the Execution of This Their Office. Gathered Out of the Statutes, And Bookes of the Common Lawes of this Kingdome. London: Printed for the Companie of Stationers, 1623. [iv], 194, [6] ff. First and last leaves blank. Folio (11" x 7-1/2"). Recent period-style quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands and lettering piece to spine, speckled edges, endpapers renewed. Title printed within woodcut architectural border. Light browning to text, occasional faint dampstaining, a few leaves dog-eared, edges of preliminaries and a few other leaves, including final leaves of index, mounted on archival tissue, minor loss to border of title page, which has two small library stamps to its verso. $1,250. * First edition. This is the first English treatise on sheriffs. As its title suggests, it is a remarkably comprehensive work. Holdsworth, who cites it several times, says that "in spite of a growing number of rivals, it continued to be a standard authority until the beginning of the eighteenth century." Holdsworth, A History of English Law IV:119. English Short-Title Catalogue S107284.