The lettering on the back reads: Laws of Virginia / Vol III / Revisal of 1748 / Monticello Library /. Not initialled by Jefferson; manuscript notes not by Jefferson.

Reprinted in Hening VI, 217-324.

Lettered on the back Laws of Virginia / Vol IV / Revisal of 1768 / Monticello Library /. Initialled by Jefferson at sig. I and T.

This is the third and last revisal printed during the colonial era.

This volume is now missing from the Jefferson collection in the Library of Congress. It was one of the books borrowed by Hening, and was not delivered to Congress until 1820. Hence it is marked missing in the working copy of the 1815 catalogue and is included in the manuscript list of missing books.

In 1805 the loan of it was requested by John Burk for use in compiling his history. In offering to Burk the use of the volume, without putting it in his possession, Jefferson wrote: “ . . . the 5 ^th. volume is the only one of which there exists probably no other collection. this fact being generally known, the courts in the different parts of the state are in the practice of resorting to this volume for copies of particular acts called for in the cases before them . . . ”

After much correspondence the volume was at length deposited with George Jefferson for the use of John Burk.

In 1808 the volume was needed by Hening, for use in his publication of the Statutes at Large . It was still in the possession of George Jefferson, who wrote to Jefferson on Augst [ sic -- Ed. ] 25, 1809: “. . . I have heard nothing from M ^r. Eppes respecting the volume of news papers. You sent me with that, a volume of “fugitive sheets” of laws, which you directed should not go out of my possession, and which of course has not . . .”

Jefferson immediately wrote to Hening, on August 28: “ By a letter just recieved from m( ^~ r) George Jefferson I learn that I had deposited with him my volume of ‘Fugitive sheets’ or Session acts from 1734. to 1772. with an injunction not to deliver it out of his own posession, while the volumes of newspapers were delivered to m ( ^~ r) Burke, & are consequently lost I fear. knowing your care of such things you are freely welcome to recieve from m( ^~ r) Jefferson the volume abovementioned, for the delivery of which this letter, if shewn to him, will be his authority . . .”

The volume was sent to Hening, who wrote to Jefferson on September 4: “I have received from M ^r. George Jefferson your volume of Session Acts from 1734 to 1772, inclusive.--The acts of 1773, which are stated to have been lost from your collection, I have in my possession . . .”

After the sale of his library to Congress in 1814, Jefferson wrote to Hening, on March 11, 1815, requesting the return of this volume: “ Congress having concluded to replace by my library the one which they lost by British Vandalism, it is now become their property, and of course my duty to collect and put in place whatever belongs to it. this obliges me to request of you the return of the V ^th. vol. of my ”