| § CALLIS, Robert (fl. 1634).
The reading of that famous and learned gentleman, Robert Callis Esq; sergeant at law, upon the statute of 33 H. 8. Cap. 5. of Sewers: as it was delivered by him at Grays-Inn, in August, 1622. London: printed for William Leak, and are to be sold at his shop, 1647. Collation: 4to: A–2G4 2H2, 122 leaves, pp. [8] 235 [1] (last page blank). Title within a double rule border, typographic headpieces.Condition: 208 x 160mm. Minor worming in lower blank margins for half the book, but a very good fresh copy. Binding: Contemporary blind ruled unlettered sheep. Spine ends and corners worn, surface of leather abraded and torn on sides. Provenance: Martin Bowes FRS (1671?–1726), no marks of provenance but a few marks in the margins and several pages turned down. References: Wing C304. Price: £750 First edition. Some copies have William Leak’s single-sheet printed advertisement of 1655 or later pasted inside the rear board (my Catalogue 29 no. 22, now in the Fisher Library, University of Toronto, and another copy in Bowes’ library). ¶ A valuable source for the history of waterworks and public health in Britain. It is a reading of the 1622 act entitled ‘A general act concerning the commissioners of sewers for all the realm of England’ and analyses the complex legal issues surrounding the rights and responsibilities of the maintenance of sea defences, harbours, river navigations, drainage works, locks, floodgates etc. In the process a large amount of information is given about the technicalities and practices of such works with sections on such diverse topics as: ‘Nine ways for keeping and repairing Defences’ and ‘Whether a Woman may be a competent Commissioner within this statute.’Robert Callis was a commissioner of sewers in his native Lincolnshire and made a serjeant-at-law on 12 April 1627. |
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