Provincial Papers of New Hampshire (Volume 19)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891. Excerpt: ... THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAWS OF 1699. The volume of Acts and Laws; Passed by the General Court or Assembly of His Majesties Province of New-Hampshire in New-England: Boston, in New England: Printed by B. Green: Sold by Eleazar Russel at his Shop in Portsmouth. 1716. has been recognized hitherto as the first printed laws of New Hampshire. It was a small folio of sixty pages, besides the title, and with sundry supplements added within the next ten years after its issue, had no rival or successor for a long period of time. The sale catalogue of a British bookseller, issued last year (1888) in Exeter, England, changed all this, and the first printed laws of New Hampshire now and hereafter must be dated seventeen years earlier, in the last year but one of the seventeenth century. In that catalogue the following item appeared, under the head of America and the West Indies. Acts and Laws passed by the General Court or Assembly of His Majesties Province of New.Hampshire in New-England, begun and held at Portsmouth on Monday, August jth, 1699. folio, pp. 10. rare 2 /. 2 s. Boston, printed by B. Green and J. Allen Printers to His Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, 1699. As soon as this catalogue made its appearance in New York the book was promptly ordered by cable; but it had already been secured by an English buyer, who was quick to perceive the value of his prize, and did not relinquish it to my continued and eager pursuit until he received pounds for his shillings. From the time when William Smith of Exeter, N. H., first called attention to the subject of the sources of New Hampshire Law (Farmer & Moore: III, 201) to this day, no one of the writers who have discussed the subject, has betrayed any knowledge or suspicion of the fact that any of the la...