Symbolaeography which may be termed the art, description, or image of instruments. Or, the paterne of praesidents. Or, the notarie or scriuener
Subtitle: The first part of instruments extraiudiciall, the fourth time corrected
By: by William West of the Inner Temple esquire, first author, therof
Publisher: Printed by Iane Yetsweirt, widowe of Charles Yetsweirt esquire deceased.
Published: 1597
Place of publication: At London
Language: eng; lat
Number of pages: 306
Subjects: Legal instruments; Early works to 1800; Conveyancing; Equity pleading and procedure; Forms (Law)
Work titles: Symbolaeographia
Notes: With Latin mottoes and typographical ornament below the title.

"Cum priuilegio Regia Maiestatis." --foot of title page.

West's dedication to Sir Edmund Anderson, in Latin, undated.

In two books.

Collation: *⁴ A-2O⁸ 2P⁶ [$4 (-*2 +*3) signed]

In black letter and Roman type; some italic type.

Initials; head and tail pieces.

Marginal section notations.

Includes index.

"The first printed systematic treatise on the writing of legal instruments, including not only precedents in conveyancing but also of indictments and proceedings in chancery ... drawing upon civilian and continental scholarship." --Oxford DNB.

Symbolaeographia, a work in in four books, was first printed in 1590 by Richard Tottel (STC 25267). It was revised in two parts, "Symbolaeography ... the first part" (STC 25267.5) in 1592, and "The second part of symboleography" (STC 25276.3) in 1593. Both parts were subsequently issued, separately, in numerous later editions.

STC (2nd ed.) 25268.5

Beale, J.H. Engl. law (suppl.) T500c

Received May 3, 1927.

Text in English and Latin.

Ex libris Staveley Staunton.

Bound in contemporary calf, covers decorated in blind with fillets and center medallion stamp and initials S S on either side of the stamp. Upper corner of title page torn with loss of ms. notation. On title page: 'Stavely Staunton me jure tenet 69'; Staunton was admitted to Gray's Inn in February 1669/70. Bookseller's code at foot of title page in an early hand.