Parliamentary Acts

89 Parliamentary Acts (comprising 65 individual Mutiny Acts with 15 duplicates, 2 Regulation of Marine Forces Acts and 7 Quartering Acts), made up of 77 individual sections (disbound) and 12 bound volumes in nineteenth-century calf, some rebacked, and paper wrappers, some slight wear to loose sections, bindings worn

Condition is described in the main body of the text, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The first Mutiny Act was passed in 1689 in reaction to the refusal of some Scottish troops to fight with the English army in Holland under William III: as the troops were in England, where military law did not apply, and mutiny was not a crime under common law, Parliament passed an act to make desertion, mutiny and sedition punishable by death. Each Mutiny Act was limited to one year's duration; they continued to be passed until 1879.

The collection also includes the 1803, 1805-1809 and 1829 Act for Increasing the Rates of Subsistence Paid to Innkeepers and Others on Quartering Soldiers (these were issued both with the Mutiny Acts and separately) and the Act for the Regulation of Marine Forces of 1802 and 1846.