Beschreibung:

(Virginia — John Purvis, editor) A complete collection of all the lavvs of Virginia now in force. Carefully copied from the assembly records. To which is annexed an alphabetical table. London: printed by T.J. for J.P. and are to be sold by Tho[mas]. Mercer, [1684] Folio (175 x 278 mm). Title-page within double rules, 4-page dedication to Francis Lord Howard, 22-page index, period marginalia by Robert Ruffin throughout; some browning and spotting. [Bound with:] A manuscript copy of the Acts of the General Assembly passed in 1684 and 1685. One page table of contents, 27 pp. of manuscript giving the text of nine acts passed at sessions of the Assembly beginning April 1684, 16 pp. manuscript giving the text of eleven acts. One page of early 18th century manuscript recording the birth of Robert Ruffin's grandchildren accomplished in the hand of his son (Robert Ruffin the younger); some browning, trimmed. Expertly bound to style in period calf, covers with double gilt rules, spine with raised bands in six compartments, second with red morocco label, others with repeat decoration in gilt. A critically important printing of the second published collection of the laws of Virginia at the time of Bacon's rebellion The present volume represents the second published collection of the statues of Virginia, covering the acts passed by the General Assembly between 1662 and 1682, including material relating to slavery and Bacon's Rebellion. This copy is particularly noteworthy due to its contemporary manuscript, which outlines the acts passed at the 1684–1685 sessions, and its provenance to a Virginia landowner and sheriff from Surrey County. In addition to many laws about tobacco, trade, duties, courts, roads, and agriculture (among others), two categories of laws within this volume warrant specific mention: those related to Bacon's Rebellion, and those concerning slavery. Early historians presented Bacon's Rebellion of 1676 as a foreshadowing of 1776, with Bacon very much viewed as a proto-Revolutionary, eager to overthrow an oppressive government appointed by the Crown. However, more recent scholarship has recast these events as a struggle between the colonist and Native Americans, with a subtext of fissures between small planters and the established planter elite. In any case, the impact of Bacon's Rebellion were far-reaching, and are seen as reshaping the nature of the British colonial world in the South. Numerous laws given here reference the events of 1676, several of which imposed restrictive laws on slaves, and many of these were founded in the fear of another uprising. These laws also encouraged the importation of slaves into the workforce. Robert Ruffin, of Richneck plantation, served as the Sheriff of Surrey County in 1684, as well as Justice of the Peace from 1680. As intended by John Purvis, this copy bears contemporary fair copy of the sessions laws for April 1684 and October 1685. Following Purvis's publication of the laws in 1684, the acts of the Assembly remained in manuscript until the revisal of 1733. As most of the acts from these sessions had been repealed or revised by that time, a printing of these session laws did not occur until Hening in 1823, who published the acts from three manuscript sources. A critically important and rare edition of the most important early collection of Virginia's laws PROVENANCERobert Ruffin (signature to title, manuscript passages) — Robert Ruffin the younger (manuscript leaf) — John Maretain (signature to title) REFERENCECelebration of My Country 14; ESTC R222342; History of the Book in America 62–63; Sabin 100381; Tower 904; Wing V636