The Case of Archibald Douglas, Esq (1769, first edition)
A rare narrative and documents of the famous Scottish inheritance law case, The Douglas Cause / Case
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
Assumed first edition. Paperback, in plain brown paper (having lost the original boards). 27.5 × 21cm, [16], 40, xli-xlii, 41–232pp, with fold-out pedigree to the front, and 6 facsimile documents to rear. **Bibliographical details including author are taken from the university and library copies on library hub**
Full title: The Case of Archibald Douglas, Esq. and his Guardians, appellants, against His Grace the Duke of Hamilton, Lord Douglas Hamilton, Sir Hew Dalrymple and others, respondents: to be heard at the Bar of the House of Lords on Monday, the 16th of January, 1769.
An important document concerning a major Scottish cause célèbre and legal struggle in the eighteenth century. It was the culmination of a series of court cases which became known as the 'Douglas Cause' or 'Douglas Case' whereby in 1767 Archibald Douglas lost a court case concerning the rights to the extensive Douglas estates. His opponents, the 12-year-old Duke of Hamilton, Dalrymple and others, claimed that Douglas (born Archibald James Edward Stewart in Paris) was not the son of Lady Jane Douglas, and thus was not the rightful heir to the Douglas estates.
In February 1769 the House of Lords reversed the decision. This is the original documentation of the case, heard in the House Of Lords, including notes and family tree in a fold-out section in the front of the document.
Central to the case was whether Lady Jane was still able to have children and at the trials, intimate evidence of her menstrual status was presented by servants. Witnesses were produced by the Hamilton who claimed to have noticed nothing about Lady Jane's appearance to indicate that she was ever pregnant...
Hamilton's lawyers also found two French couples who both said they had sold babies to a mysterious foreign couple about the time the 'twins' were born. Douglas's lawyers countered by providing evidence of a male midwife said to have delivered Lady Jane’s babies. Archibald Douglas, was able to inherit and his descendants, (which included British Minister Alec Douglas-Hume), have benefited ever since.
All evidence & arguments are presented in this official document.
Condition
As mentioned, this copy is bound without covers and instead is wrapper in plain brown paper which have slight loss to the edges. The main body of text is in good condition and remaining in strong readable condition. The inner binding is secure for age, some light age-toning to pages. The pedigree is in good order. There is creasing and tearing to the larger two of the folding documents, the smaller ones are intact. Overall, a worn but decent copy of this scarce narrative of this important Scottish legal case.
Further images available on request.
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Price
£80.00
