1719-20 A Selection of 18th Century Political Pamphlets Peerage Bill Walpole Steele The Plebeians by a Member of the House of Commons; The Thoughts of a Member of the Lower House in Relation to a Project for Restraining and Limiting the Power of the Crown; Farther Reasons Against the Peerage Bill; A Letter to the Earl of O--D Concerning the Bill of the Peerage; Some Reflections upon a Pamphlet called The Old Whig; An Exact List of the Members of the House of Commons Who Voted For and Against the Peerage Bill

Description

First Edition, Very Scarce

The Peerage Bill was a measure proposed by the British Whig government led by James Stanhope and Charles Spencer. The measure would have largely halted the creation of new peerages, limiting membership of the house of Lords. 

Bound to the start is a portion of a nineteenth century reference work on the peerage bill. There is a list of contemporary works issued against and for the bill. A prior owner has annotated this. 

Comprising: 

"The Plebeians by a Member of the House of Commons" (1719) by Sir Richard Steele, ESTC reference no T114589 the sixth edition, issued the same year as the first edition.  The Plebeians no I-IV (all here) are against the bill.

"The Thoughts of a Member of the Lower House in Relation to a Project for Restraining and Limiting the Power of the Crown" (1719). This work was issued anonymously. A contemporary owner has written the author to be Robert Walpole, however the ESTC notes the author to be John Trenchard. ESTC reference no T50188. 

"Farther Reasons Against the Peerage Bill" (1719) by Sir Richard Ellys, ESTC reference no T35400, with half-title. 

"A Letter to the Earl of O--D Concerning the Bill of the Peerage" (1719) by Richard Steele, ESTC reference no T38248. This imprint has the price as 6d and is 32 pages long. This is against the bill. 

"Some Reflections upon a Pamphlet called The Old Whig" (1719) by John Trenchard, with half-title, ESTC reference no T49359. 

"An Exact List of the Members of the House of Commons Who Voted For and Against the Peerage Bill" (1720), ESTC reference no N9537, with the half-title
The Historical Register for the Year 1719 No XIV, XVII.