The actis and constitutiounis of the realme of Scotland
Subtitle: maid in Parliamentis haldin be the rycht excellent, hie and mychtie princeis Kingis Iames the First, Secund, Thrid, Feird, Fyft, and in tyme of Marie now Quene of Scottis
By: viseit, correctit, and extractit furth of the registers be the Lordis depute be hir Maiesteis speciall commissioun thairto. Anno Do. 1566
Publisher: Be Robert Lekpreuik
Published: 1566
Place of publication: Imprentit at Edinburgh
Language: eng; lat
Number of pages: 14
Subjects: Session laws; Early works to 1800; Statutes; Law
Other titles: Black Acts
Work titles: Laws, etc. (Session laws : 1424-1564)
Notes: Title above a woodcut of the royal arms, with "Maria Regina" in banner.

Line 3 of title ends 'the'.

Edited by Edward Henryson; preface signed 'Eduard Henrison'.

Sections signed at end by compilers: Jacobus Makgill [xylographic] and Jacobus Balfour [xylographic].

Imprint from colophon.

Collation: [Maltese cross]⁴ (-[Maltese cross]4) a-c⁴ (-c4) A⁴ (-A1) B-E⁴ 2F⁴(+/- 2F1) 2G⁴(+/- 2G2) 2H-2K⁴ 2L⁴ (-2L1) 2N⁴ 2O⁴(+/- 2O1.[2]) 2P-2Q⁴ 2R⁴ (+'2R3') [chi]1 2S-2Y⁴ 2Z² (+/- 2Z1.[2]) [$3 (-2E3, -2N3) signed]

In predominantly black letter type; some Roman type.

Initials, some historiated; head and tail pieces.

Table of acts listed by sovereign, leaves [4]-[14]

Errata: leaf Clxxxii, recto.

This issue differs from the one printed 12 October 1566 (STC 21875) in that several leaves have been excised. These cancelled leaves (113, 118, 133, 135 and 145) contained acts favoring the Catholic Church, enacted by the Parliament during the reigns of King James V and Queen Mary.

"Folio 133, which contained six acts, has been entirely withdrawn, and no leaf inserted in its place; and the other leaves reprinted in a such a way that ... the gaps left by the removal of the cancelled acts are not apparent. ... Fol. 181 has been reprinted, the colophon being withdrawn from it and a new act introduced. ... Fol. clxxxii has been added ... [with] a new colophon." --Dickson & Edmond. Annals of Scottish printing.

This entry in STC (2nd ed.) represents mixed copies, all having the title page of STC 21875 (line 3 ends: 'the') and colophon of STC 21876a (dated 28 November 1566)

Statutes of the Scottish Parliament from this period are sometimes referred to as the 'Black Acts' because they were printed in black letter type.

STC (2nd ed.) 21876

Dickson & Edmond. Scottish printing 52

19000123

Law Book Exchange 19930701 purchase

In English and Latin.

Ex libris Sir John Skene -- William Skene -- Robert Howye -- William Lumisden -- James Ouchterlony.

Ex libris John Gordon, Earl of Sutherland.

Shelf mark 'K.3.' on verso of front endpaper. On a front flyleaf, a pencilled note describing the volume, by Edinburgh bookseller Archibald Constable, signed A.C. He also notes that John Ker, Duke of Roxburgh was responsible for the [ca. 1800] reprinting of the excised leaves, bound in at the end of the volume. Later 19th century printed bookdealer's descriptions pasted in. On title page, signatures of early two former owners, one written over the other. With a few contemporary and 17th century marginal annotations; one set of pencilled notes (on unnumbered leaf preceding Clix) with date 1639. On verso of final leaf are at least 44 lines in a contemporary hand; lower edge cropped. On verso of the work bound immediately following this (STC 21880), are 41 lines in the same hand. With this are bound other Scottish session laws: STC 21880, STC 21882, STC 21884, STC 21885, and The Acts of the Scottish Parliament (ca. 1800)

This copy has extra printed leaves, unsigned, with texts of the excised leaves, in settings differing from those of the 12 October or 28 November issues: 2 leaves inserted between Cxii (2E4) and Cxiii (2F1), each numbered Cxiii. -- 1 leaf inserted between Cxvii (2G1) and Cxviii (2G2), numbered Cxviii --2 leaves numbered Cxxxiiii and Cxxxv inserted between Cxxxii (2K4) and Cxxxiiii (2L1) -- 1 leaf numbered cxlv inserted between Cxliiii (2N4) and cxlv (2O1)

On a front flyleaf, ownership inscription of Sir John Skene, dated 1579, and signature of 'Magister Gulielmne Skene' dated 1595, followed by his ownership inscription: 'Liber Magi. Gulielmi Skene ex dono illustrissimi patrii ... '. Following Skene inscriptions are several leaves of text in John Skene's hand. On flyleaf immediately preceding title page, 3 ownership inscriptions: 'Ex libris Mgri. Roberti Howye - Aberdonani' and 'Robertis Houæus Scotus Francopoli Ruthano[rum]' in an early hand (both inscriptions crossed out), and 'Ex libris Gulielmi Lumisdani et amicorum' in an early 17th century hand. On title page, price in a contemporary hand; at foot, 'Robert Howye' written in block letters. On a back flyleaf, signature of James Ouchterlony (17th century?)

With marginal annotations and extensive notes by Sir John Skene, who used this copy, and at least one other, to prepare the 2nd ed., published in 1597 (STC 21877)

Copy imperfect; A2-A3 lacking and replaced in manuscript in an 18th century hand.

On title page and above colophon, signature of 'Iohne eirll of Sotherland" in a 17th century hand, possibly that of John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland. With some early markings, fists, etc.; some sections numbered.

Copy imperfect; A2-A3 lacking. Replaced in a manuscript copy that imitates typopgraphy, etc. of the original printed leaves.

Closely cropped and bound (in Scotland?) in early 19th century calf, covers and edges of boards decorated with gilt fillets; rebacked. Marbled paper endpapers.

Bound, probably in Scotland, in 16th century calf, covers decorated in blind with fillets, corner ornaments and center filagree stamp, all edges stained red. Boards consist of layers of printed waste; vellum guards of manuscript waste.