[CONNECTICUT - COLONIAL]
Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Connecticut in New-England. New-London: Re-printed and sold by Timothy Green, 1715 and bound with continuations of the work through 1747. First edition. 20th century cloth, retains two front blanks. 11 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches (29 x 18 cm). As seen in other copies and noted by Evans the first work with the 1718 Connecticut Charter bound first, followed by two tables and then the Acts and Laws, this copy: A^4 *^2 **^2 ***^2 pi^2 **^2 A-2C^4 2D^2. 210 pp. Evans 1738; The work continues in 1716 with p. 211-214, Evans 1808; p. 215-218, Evans 1809; in 1718 with p. 219-221, Evans 1876; p. 223-232 Evans 1877; in 1718 with p. 233-236, Evans 1950; p. 237-240, Evans 1951; and so on through p. 561 (with the 1747 Green imprint), the text lacking only two sections (p. 507-508 & 545-547). Stamps to front blanks and charter title which has two large losses affecting text and imprint, this title and one other defective leaf (p.277) provided in laid-in photo-stat facsimiles, other repairs to several first leaves and intermittently throughout, the main title trimmed to border, spotting and occasional stains and tears, ink annotations.
This volume bears several signatures of Thomas Clap (one dated 1727), this likely the Mayflower descendant and longtime President of Yale College (1740-64). The 1715 imprint, here with the 1718 Charter, is rare and is one of the earliest books printed in Connecticut. This copy compares well with the Brinley copy, which contained just a few more Acts into 1748. We trace only one copy at auction in the past 30 years (Christie's New York, 16 December 2004, lot 659, $7,500). For the first work see Evans 1738; Sabin 15758; Trumbull. Connecticut 503; Johnson. New London 58.