[SAMMELBAND OF TWENTY-FIVE REVOLUTIONARY-ERA MASSACHUSETTS LAWS AND THE FOLIO PRINTING OF THE 1780 MASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTION]

Watertown or Boston: Benjamin Edes, 1775-1783.. Various paginations, as described below. Folio. Contemporary reverse calf, covers and spine tooled in blind. Spine lacking, leather detached from front board, leather nearly detached from rear board, boards still attached, cords intact. Front and rear endpapers loose from boards. Dampstains, stains, light foxing throughout. Some top edges and foredges closely trimmed with occasional loss of text; occasional leaves loose; occasional tears, some with loss of text. Third title lacks seven pages, tenth title lacks final leaf (see below for additional information for specific titles). Several ownership inscriptions of Joseph Allen of Worcester, Massachusetts. Near good condition. In a cloth clamshell case, leather label. A sammelband of Revolutionary-era Massachusetts acts and laws published by Benjamin Edes and various associates between 1775 and 1783. The collection of documents is of particular interest for a number of legislative actions directly related to the Revolutionary War, such as maritime defense, the creation of militias, the buildup of troops, and various issues regarding treason, deserters, and Tories.

The first three documents, printed in Watertown, New England "under the reign of George the Third, King," includes acts regarding the development of the colony's defense. Chapter I of the second title is "an act for encouraging the fixing out of armed vessels to defend the sea coast of America, and for erecting a court to try and condemn all vessels that shall be found infesting the same." Chapter I of the third title is "an act for forming and regulating the militia within the colony of Massachusetts Bay," and Chapter XIII from the same session is "an act for raising and forming a regiment or troop...out of the several regiments of foot in the county of Worcester." (Similar acts for other towns are to be found recorded elsewhere in the volume.) While the first and second of these Watertown imprints are recorded in a dozen institutions each, the third title is located only at the Pennsylvania Historical Society, and all three are extremely uncommon in the market.

Numerous additional acts related to the war are found in the acts and laws "of the state of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England," printed after the Declaration of Independence. Chapter XXI of the fourth title, printed in 1777, includes an extensive act "for providing a reinforcement to the American Army." Legislation regarding treason is also thoroughly documented. Chapter XXXII is a lengthy act "against treason...and regulating trials in such cases, and for directing the mode of executing judgments against persons attainted of felony." In a related matter, Chapter XIII in the eighth title, printed in 1778, is an act "to prevent the return to this state of certain persons therein named, and others, who have left this state, or either of the United States, and joined the enemies thereof." The latter consists of three pages of names of Tories prohibited from returning to the state.

This volume belonged to Joseph Allen (1749- 1827), a nephew of Samuel Adams who moved to Worcester in 1776 and was a member of the Massachusetts State constitutional convention in 1788. His signature and additional manuscript annotations are found on the rear free endpaper as well as on individual titles published between 1779 and 1782. This set of documents, bound after Adams collected them individually over a number of years, are as follows:

1) IN THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD, KING, &c. ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT WATERTOWN...THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JULY...1775. Watertown, New England: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council and Honorable House of Representatives, 1775. pp.1-7. Leaves loose, upper right corner torn with slight loss of text. EVANS 14202.

2) IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD, KING, &c. ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT WATERTOWN...THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JULY...1775...AND THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO...THE TWENTIETH DAY OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING.... Watertown, New England: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council and Honorable House of Representatives, 1775. pp.9-13. Leaves loose, upper right corner torn with slight loss of text. EVANS 14203.

3) IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE THE THIRD, KING, &c. ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT WATERTOWN...THE NINETEENTH DAY OF JULY...1775...AND THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE TWENTY- NINTH DAY OF NOVEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. [Watertown: Benjamin Edes, 1776]. pp.15- 59. Lacks pp.23-38 and pp.59. Pp.39-44 present but misbound. Pp.21-22 cleanly torn on fold. Pp.49-50 loose. Pp.43-44, 51-54, 57- 58 torn with slight loss of text. Colophon from Bristol. This copy also includes pp.65- 68 of ACTS AND LAWS from an additional publication. BRISTOL B4274.

4) IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1776. [ACTS AND LAWS, PASSED BY THE GREAT AND GENERAL COURT OR ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS- BAY, IN NEW-ENGLAND]. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, 1777. pp.71-106. Top edges slightly shaved. EVANS 15400.

5) [ACTS AND LAWS, PASSED BY THE GREAT AND GENERAL COURT OF ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS-BAY, IN NEW-ENGLAND]. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, 1777. pp.107-137. Pp.109- 110 torn with no loss, manuscript additions on pp.107, 122-123. EVANS 15401.

6) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF MAY...1775. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable the Council, 1778. pp.139-178. Pp.165-166 cleanly torn with no loss. Manuscript additions on p.139 and p.155. EVANS 15883.

7) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF MAY...1778. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable the Council of Massachusetts State, 1778. pp.179-189. Slight manuscript additions on pp.186-187. EVANS 15884.

8) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF MAY...1778; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council of Massachusetts-State, 1778. pp.191-207. Last leaf (p.207) loose. EVANS 15885.

9) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF MAY...1778; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE SIXTH DAY OF JANUARY 1779, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, Printer to the Honorable Council of Massachusetts State, 1779. pp.209- 222. Last leaf (p.222) loose. EVANS 16343.

10) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF MAY...1778; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE SEVENTH DAY OF APRIL FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. [Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, and Comp'y. Printers to the honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, 1779]. pp.223-237. Lacks last leaf (p.237), colophon from Evans. EVANS 16344.

11) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD...THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF MAY...1779. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, and Comp'y. Printers to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, 1779. pp.239-251. Ownership inscription of J. Allen on p.251. EVANS 16345.

12) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF MAY...1779; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO...THE EIGHTH OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay, 1779-80. pp.253-277. EVANS 16346. NAIP W032864.

13) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY OF MAY...1779; FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE EIGHTH OF MARCH FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay, 1780. pp.279- 309 [i.e. 279-311]. Last leaf loose, two-page unpaginated valuation list inserted between pp. 296 and 297. EVANS 16837.

14) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE THIRTY-FIRST DAY OF MAY...1780. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Honorable Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay, 1780. pp.311-317. Not in Evans. NAIP W015008.

15) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE THIRTY-FIRST DAY OF MAY...1780; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO...THE SEVENTH OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Honourable Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay, 1780. pp.319-329. Ownership inscription "Joseph Allen Worcester 1780" on blank verso of p.329. Not in Evans. NAIP W0150101.

16) THE CONSTITUTION OR FRAME OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to His Excellency the Governor, the Council and Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1781. 24pp. Titlepage and p.3 torn with no loss, fore-edge of text closely trimmed with some loss of text. Manuscript additions on pp. 4, 5, 7, 22, and 23. Titlepage inscribed, with each letter of the printed title written in cursive capital letters. A Latin inscription is also added around the shield of the Commonwealth. This is the second edition of the final Massachusetts state constitution, a document of the greatest influence on the federal constitution. EVANS 17229.

17) A TABLE. [Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1782]. 5pp. First leaf torn with slight loss. Manuscript index additions on pp.4-5. The index for Evans 17592, bound as the twenty-fifth title in this volume, described below.

18) ACTS AND LAWS, OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to His Excellency the Governor, the Council and Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1781. 49pp. Fore-edge trimmed close, affecting sidenotes. The title and imprint, as recorded on titlepage and by Evans 17211, but correct pagination, variant caption title on page 3, and variant imprint in colophon on p.49 as recorded by Evans 17212. Ownership inscription of Joseph Allen dated 1780 (?) on blank verso of p.5. EVANS 17212.

19) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF OCTOBER...1780; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE ELEVENTH DAY OF APRIL, 1781, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1871. pp.51- 74. Trimmed at fore-edge slightly affecting some sidenotes. EVANS 17213.

20) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF MAY...1781. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1781. pp.75-85. Trimmed at fore-edge, affecting some sidenotes. EVANS 17214.

21) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE THIRTIETH DAY OF MAY...1781; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO...THE TWELFTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1781. pp.87-107. Trimmed at fore-edge, slightly affecting some sidenotes. Ownership inscription of Joseph Allen with additional Latin inscription in his hand on verso of p.107. EVANS 17215.

22) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE THIRTIETH DAY OF MAY...1781; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF JANUARY 1782, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1782. pp.109-121. Pp.109-110 torn with slight loss, trimmed at fore-edge slightly affecting some sidenotes. Ownership inscription of "Allen" with additional notes on p.109. EVANS 17589.

23) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE THIRTIETH DAY OF MAY...1781; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE ELEVENTH DAY OF APRIL, 1782, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1782. pp.123-131. Trimmed at fore-edge, slightly affecting some sidenotes. Manuscript annotation on p.125 indicates that an act was repealed, noting page recording the repeal. EVANS 17590.

24) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF MAY, 1782. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes and Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1782. pp.133-163. Trimmed at fore-edge, slightly affecting a few sidenotes. EVANS 17591.

25) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF MAY...1782; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENT TO...THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1782. pp.165- 205. Fore-edge and top edge trimmed, affecting sidenotes and headlines. The five- page index for this work is bound as the seventeenth title in this volume, described above. Inscription on verso of p.205: "Worcester County, Acts and Laws." EVANS 17592.

26) ACTS AND LAWS...BEGUN AND HELD AT BOSTON...THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF MAY...1782; AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY ADJOURNMENTS TO...THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY OF JANUARY FOLLOWING, AND THEN MET. Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons, Printers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1783. pp.207- 245. Pp.241-242 cleanly torn, fore-edge and top edge trimmed closely, affecting text, last leaf loose. Following blank leaf inscribed "Jos. Allen, Worcester," with additional Latin inscription. EVANS 18022.

A contemporary sammelband of Massachusetts laws providing documentation of the legislative process during the Revolutionary era, with engaging examples of acts regarding the conflict with Great Britain. Evans and NAIP references as given above.