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519] The English Statutes in Maryland. 55 half a century." The volume referred to includes, first, a Compendium of Logick; then, in succession. " A Short Trea- tise of Morality," a fragment " of Political Liberty," several legal notes, such as definitions of " usage " and " constitu- tion," a rather long discussion over the extension of the English statutes, a translation of the charter, notes on the non obstante clause and on the judges' oaths, and, finally, an incomplete " appendix," dealing with the obligation of law. No primed work of Eversfield's is known to the present writer," nor can it be estimated how wide a political influence he exerted. The emendations in his manuscripts .suggest, however, that his writings were meant for public use in one fashion or another. What is of especial significance to our present inquiry is that he had a most determined antipathy to Dulany and his theory of the extension of the English stat- utes. This appears from the epithets that he applies to the Atorney-General, though to his credit it should be said that these strenuous expressions are generally canceled and milder ones substituted. We find. for example, " a great lawyer " From The Bowies and their Kindred, by W. W. Bowie. we learn that Mr. Eversfield was born Feb. 4. iyoi. He began his education at St. Clive's Grammar School, Southwark. and matricu- lated at Oxford Apr. 6, 1723. He was ordained deacon in 1725. and priest two years later, shortly after his attainment to the baccalaureate. He was also A. M. of St. Mary's Hall (now rein- corporated with Oriel). He came to the province in good cir- cumstances, and acquired large tracts of land. Though he was fond of life and a great fox hunter, his excellent reputation gives the lie to the hasty generalization which wouid condemn all the colonial clergy to the opprobrium justly laid upon some. He lived till after the beginning of the Revolution. in which time he, like many of his class, was a Tory. An examination of his private papers, for which the writer is indebted to the kind permission Dr. W. 0. Eversfield, shows that he brought with him or pur- chased from Europe many of the leading works in politics. Among these appear the following titles: Puffendorf's Law of; Nature and of Nations. Calvin's institutes-. Hooker's Eccles, Grotius on the Growth of the Christian Religion. Nelson's Abridge- ment of the Common Law. another edition of Puffendorf, Back- stone's Commentaries, Bolingbroke's Political Tract. "The Euro- pean Settlements in America," " Every Man his Own Lawyer," Vattel's Lav of Nations. 15 Unless his " Compendium of Logick" was actually printed. which some circumstances seem to indicate. |
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Sioussat's The English Statutes in Maryland, 1903
| Volume 195, Page 55 View pdf image (33K) |
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