The Most Excellent Hugo Grotius: His Three Books Treating of the Rights of War & Peace. In the First is Handled, Whether any War be Just. In the Second is Shewed, The Causes of War, both Just and Unjust. In the Third is declared, What in War is Lawful, that is, Unpunishable.

GROTIUS, Hugo. Translated into English by William Evats.

$5,000.00

Item Number: 138282

London: Printed by M.W. for Thomas Basset at the George in Fleetstreet, and Ralph Smith at the Bible under the Piazza of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1682.

Third edition in English of Higo Grotius’ foundational work on international law.  Folio, bound in full contemporary paneled calf with a burgundy morooco spine label lettered in gilt, title page printed in red and black, added engraved title by T. Cross Senior bound opposite the printed title page. Translated into English by William Evats. In good condition. Armorial bookplate and period ownership signature.

A pre-eminent contributor to international legal doctrine, Hugo Grotius was an influential Dutch jurist, philosopher, and theologian. In this momentous work, Grotius describes situations in which war is a valid tool of law enforcement and outlines principles for the use of force. Though based on Christian natural law, Grotius advances the novel argument that his system would still be valid if it lacked a divine basis. In this regard he points to the future by moving international law in a secular direction. Barksdale's translation, the first in English, includes an original biographical sketch of Grotius. This edition "is perceived to be part of a larger movement in England aimed partly at setting out an ideological alternative to reformation proposals under discussion and to clarifying the relations between civil and ecclesiastical authority in England" (Butler, xii).