An Exact Abridgement of all the Public Acts of Assembly of Virginia in Force and Use

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by John Mercer

Mercer's Abridgement
MercerExactAbridgment1759 TitlePage.jpg

Title page from Mercer's Abridgement, volume one, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.

Author John Mercer
Editor {{{editor}}}
Translator {{{trans}}}
Published Glasgow: Printed by John Bryce and David Paterson
Date 1759
Edition First
Language {{{lang}}}
Volumes {{{set}}} volume set
Pages xxii, 482
Desc. 8vo (20 cm.)
Location Shelf G-4
  [[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]


Former owner record of family births, verso last page of text.

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Former owner signature, front pastedown.

Friday, November 2d, 1759 A Petition of John Mercer, Gentleman, was presented to the House and read; setting forth, That he hath (with great Labor and Expence) compiled and printed a complete and correct Abridgment of all the publick Acts of Assembly of this Colony in Force and Use at this Time, which, by Reason of his Majefty’s not having fignified his Approbation of the Land Law, and his repealing divers ACts printed in the Revifal, and the many ACts palfed lince, lie interfperfed in fo many different Books; that it is a Very difficult Matter to diltinguilh which of the faid ACts are in Force and which are; not; befid.es their being fo fcarce and * difficult to procure, that very few, if any, of the County Courts are furnilhed with a complete Collection of the faid ACts of Affembly at large. That as the Legillature of this Colony has thought it reafonable, from Time to Time, to fupply the Magiftrate? of the feveral Counties (who ferve without Fee or Reward) with the printed ACts of Affembly at the publick Expence, the Petitioner hopes this honorable Houfe, to whom he fubmits the Ufefulnefs of his Performance, will fo far encourage it as to take off his Hands a fufficient Number of the faid Abridgments to fupply the faid Magiftrates, as he has not only printed it for that Purpofe, but adapted it particularly fo their Ufe, by abridging every Claufe of the faid ACts under its proper Title, with neqeflary Tables; and the general Complaint through the Colony of the Want of fuch a Collection was his principal Inducement to undertake a Work of fo much Labor and Expence in a Multiplicity of other Bufinefs. That in Order to render the faid Work as ufeful and beneficial as may be, the Petitioner will undertake, as long as he lives, to publiffi at the End of every Seffion (at the moft reafonable Expence that may be) an Abridgment of the publick ACts of fuch Seffion, with proper Notes and Directions what Alterations are made by fuph new ACts in the former ones. Ordered, That the faid Petition be referred to Mr. Landon Carter, Mr. George Johnfton, Mr. Attorney, Mr. Harrifon, and Mr. Cary; that they do examine into the Matter thereof, and report the fame, with their Opinion thereupon, to the Houfe.

Monday, November 5th, 1759 ... Mr. Landon Carter reported, That the Committee to whom the. Petition of John Mercer was referred, having conlidered the fame, and haying alfo before them the concurring Teftimony of the Gentlemen pra&ifing at the General Court Bar, as to the Ufefulnefs of the Abridgment mentioned in the faid Petition, had come to feveral Refolutions thereupon, which he read in his Place, and then delivered in at the Table. , Ordered, That the Conlideratipn of the said Report be referred to Wednesday next.

Wednesday, November 7th, 1759

The House proceeded to the Consideration of the Report from the Committee to whom the Petition of John Mercer was referred, made on Monday last, and referred to be considered this Day; and the several Resolutions of the said Committee were again twice read, and with some Amendmendments, agreed to by the Houfe, as follow:

Resolved, That the several County Courts in this Colony be provided with one of the faid Abridgments for each of the ading Justices at the publick Expence; and that it be an Inftrudion to the Treasurer of this Colony to pay the said John Mercer for the said Books, at the Rate of twenty Shillings for each Book, upon his producing to the said Treafurer a Receipt for the same from the Clerks of the respedive County Courts.

Resolved-, That the Clerks of the said County Courts deliver one of the said Books to each of the acting Justices of their respective Counties. Ordered, That ,the said Resolutions be engrossed, and that Mr. Landon Carter do carry them to the Council for their Concurrence.


At the urging of the author, the House of Burgesses passed a resolution In 1759, shortly after publishing this book, John Mercer presented a petition to the House of Burgesses proposing that copies of his newly published abridgment be made available by the colony to all county justices as a major handy legal tool. The House of Burgesses passed the resolution which was sent to and passed by the Governor's Council making it law.

Wythe was a member of the House of Burgesses that passed the law. He was also, at the same time, a justice for Elizabeth City County and would serve them in that capacity from 1755 to at least 1770. Therefore, Wythe had a copy of this book.

Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in modern calf featuring a ruled spine with red and gilt morocco label. Purchased from Zephyr Used & Rare Books.

Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

See also

References


External Links