[Edgar, Thomas (editor)] | The earliest work devoted to laws relating to women

[Edgar, Thomas (editor)]

The Lawes Resolutions of Womens Rights: or, the Lawes Provision for Woemen. A Methodicall Collection of such Statutes and Customes, with the Cases, Opinoins, Arguments and Points of Learning in the Law, as doe properly concerne Women. London: Printed by [Miles Flesher for] the assignes of John More Esq. and are to be sold by Iohn Groue, at his shop neere the Rowles in Chancery-Lane, over against the Sixe-Clerkes-Office, 1632

4to (181 x 130 mm). Woodcut initials and headpieces; a few stray spots, faint toning, faint and primarily marginal dampstaining to final few leaves. Contemporary speckeled calf; rebacked, boards rubbed, lacking preliminary blank. Housed in custom clamshell case. 

First edition. The earliest work devoted to laws relating to women. It discusses subjects such as divorce, dowager, hermaphroditism, polygamy, promises of marriage, rape and wooing.

The authorship of this work is uncertain. T.E. (Thomas Edgar), who signs the Epistle to the reader, himself "amended, and have added many reasons, opinions, cases and resolutions of cases to the authors store". However, I.L., who signs the Preface, says that the work was "long since collected" and that the author is now dead. The works is sometimes attributed to Sir John Doddridge (1555-1628), judge of the court of king's bench.

The first book in English to use the phrase "women's rights."

Reference:

ESTC S100217