Anno Regni Georgii Regis Magnae Britanniae, Franciae

Item #82475

(RIOT ACT). (ACT OF PARLIAMENT). Anno Regni Georgii Regis Magnae Britanniae, Franciae, & Hiberniae, Primo. At the Parliament Met at Westminster [1714]. On Occasion of the Demise of Her Late Majesty Queen Anne [with]. At the Parliament Begun and Holden at Westminster [1714] . being the First Session of this Parliament. London: John Basket, 1714 and 1715. 1st ed. 2 Vols. Folios. 24, 471, [1], [4 (index)]; [473]-728, [4 (index)] pp. Contemporary Cambridge paneled calf boards with gold-tooled spine and morocco title labels. Modern conservation efforts to the joints of volume 1. Very occasional contemporary annotation in the margin else contents clean. Very good. This collection of acts opens with the death of Queen Anne and the ascension of George I to the throne. These volumes constitute a remarkable concentration of acts relating to all aspects of the country: taxation, military, security from internal and external threats, religion, and industry. The first act of the First Session is the Land Tax Act of 1715, which in addition to outlining the taxation, offers a lengthy catalog of county, city, town, borough, and university governments-more than 200 pages gives a detailed snapshot of the British government at that moment in time. But the most notable inclusion is the Riot Act. Born of a tumultuous period, the act gave local authorities unprecedented power to disperse unruly crowds of 12 or more people. It remained law for more than 250 years, only repealed late in the 20th century. Additional notables: the suspension of Habeas Corpus; an act to make permanent the Quaker Act of 1695; Treason Act of 1714; the Papist Act of 1715; and more. This is an important collection of acts from a volatile, monarchical transition. Several of these, like the Riot Act, are extremely rare in commerce.

Price: $3,000.00