Clonmell, John Scott, First Earl of

recording in detail hundreds of legal cases overseen by him, noting details of cases, arguments, precedents, principles, and verdicts, including one volume of cases in the Dublin Court of Exchequer, one "Crown Circuit Book" for the Court of Assizes (1784), and four volumes of cases at the Court of the King's Bench, in excess of 1700 pages in total, oblong 4to, 1772-1797, three volumes in green boards and four volumes in reverse calf

John Scott, First Earl of Clonmell; thence by descent

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, 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.
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A SUBSTANTIAL RECORD OF LEGAL CASES IN 18TH CENTURY IRELAND, PRESERVED BY ONE OF THE LEADING JUDGES OF HIS GENERATION. John Scott, later Earl of Clonmell (for whom see next lot), held a series of senior Irish judicial positions, including: counsel to the Revenue Board (1772), Solicitor General (1774), Attorney General (1777), and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland (1784). Four of these volumes preserve details of the cases heard in Ireland's principal court of criminal jurisdiction and civil jurisdiction, the Court of King's Bench, in the mid-1790s, and are of particular historical significance. For human interest, however, the most absorbing volume is inevitably that which details felony trials overseen by Scott as an Assize judge on circuit in the mid-1780s, including murders, highway robberies, and thefts. With its accounts of events and witness testimonies these records of trials give a vivid impression of life in Ireland.