Page:Marvin, Legal Bibliography, 1847.djvu/611

RAAV RASTELL, WILL. Tlie Abbreviacion of Statutes ; translated out of French into English, by John Rastell, and imprinted by the same John, the XXV. day of October, in the XL yere of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King Henry the VIIL ; with the Privilege of our seyd Sovereign Lord, &c. 8vo. London. 1519, 1527. This is said to be the first Abridgment of the Statutes printed in Eng- lish. It appears to be a translation with additions of the "Abridgment des Statutes vieux," — but contains several ancient Statutes, Ordinances, &c., not extant in any edition of the Statutes at large, and in some in- stances more complete transcripts of several Acts that are commonly printed in the Statutes at large. This book was often reprinted by him- self, and after his death by his son, William Rastell, and others. Fifteen different editions are mentioned between 1520 and 1625. The Statutes are distributed under proper alphabetical titles, and are given both in English and their original language, because "many wordes and tcrmes be there in divers Statutes, both in Latine and in French, which be very hard to translate aptly into English. The translation " appears to have been executed with superior care and industry." 3 Dib. Typ. Ant. 83; Barring. Obs. 261; Int. Stat. Realm, 1810; 4 Reeves, 418; Brooke, 169. RASTELL, JOHN. Les Termes de la Ley ; or, certain difficult and obscure Words and Terms of the Common and Statute Laws of the Realm, now in Use, expounded and explained. 8vo. London. 1721. 8vo. Portland. 1812. The authorship of this volume has been ascribed to both John and William Rastell. The former quit the profession of the law for that of printing, and the latter that of printing for the law. Being co-labourers in composing, translating, and printing, there has arisen some confusion rela- tive to the identical works of each. Les Termes, &c., were originally com- posed in French, with a Latin title page, commencing, Expositions, etc., q. V. Mr. Reeves is of the opinion that John Rastell composed the work, and that William translated it. Lord Kenyon calls it "a very excellent book." The edition of 1721 is considerably enlarged. 1 East, 459; 4 Reeves, 419; 3 Dib. Ames, 90. RAWLE, WH.LIAM. A View of the Constitution of the United Slates. 2d ed. 8vo. Philadelphia. 1829. This is a very good elementary book of Constitutional Law. 7 Am. Quar. Rev. 112; Iloff. Leg. Stu. 168. RAWIiE, Wn.LIAM, Jr. Reports of Cases adjudged in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, from 1828 to 1835. 5 vols. Svo. Philadelphia. 1829-36. 599