The History of Gavel-Kind, with the Etymology Thereof; Containing..

1663. London, 1663. sole edition. London, 1663. sole edition. An Interesting Form of Land Tenure Taylor, Silas [1624-1678]. The History of Gavel-Kind, with the Etymology thereof; Containing Also an Assertion That Our English Laws Are for the Most Part Those That Were Used by the Antient Brytains, Notwithstanding the Several Conquests of the Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans; with Some Observations and Remarks upon Many Especial Occurrences of British and English History. To Which Is Added a Short History of William the Conquerour, Written in Latin by an Anonymous Author, in the Time of Henry the First. London: John Starkey, 1663. [xxvi], 210, [2], 211 (folding table) pp. Table misbound at end of text. Section titled Brevis Relatio de Willelmo, Nobilissimo Comite Normanorum has separate dated title page, with imprint "Typis Guil. Wilson pro Johanne Starkey," on leaf following p. 180. Quarto (7" x 5-1/2"). Later three-quarter calf over marbled boards, marbled edges, lettering piece and blind fillets to spine, front hinge mended. Some rubbing to extremities, rear joint starting at foot, crack in text block between pp. 176 and 177. Moderate toning and occasional faint dampspotting to text, edges trimmed closely just touching text in places, early repairs to fore-edges of a few leaves, edgewear to a few other leaves with minor loss to text (but not legibility). Brief early annotations in a few places, interior otherwise clean. $300. * Only edition. Gavelkind is a type of land tenure used mostly in Kent, but also in other parts of England, Ireland and Wales. It is a form of partible inheritance in which land descends equally to the decedent's sons. It was common during the Saxon era, but was gradually supplanted by primogeniture after 1066. Taylor's is one of the earliest books on this subject. (The first was Somner's 1660 Treatise of Gavelkind). English Short-Title Catalogue R30161.