The History of English Law Before the Time of Edward I (2-Volumes) - by Sir Frederick Pollock & Frederic William Maitland (Hardcover)

The History of English Law before the Time of Edward I is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the origins of English legal exceptionalism, providing readers with a detailed understanding of the development of individual rights in medieval England.

This two-volume set reprints the 1898 edition, adding a bibliography from the 1968 reissue, and offers a complete and accessible overview of Anglo-Saxon law, Norman law, and their blending under the Norman kings.

The authors explore the legal codes that influenced English justice, including Roman, German, and Anglo-Saxon laws, and describe the influence of canon law on the development of English law.

They also examine the legal reforms of Henry II and his grandson, Henry III, and the codification of the laws. The second volume covers various areas of English law topic by topic, including land ownership and duties owed, social status, clerics, foreigners, Jews, outlaws, excommunicants, lepers, and women.

The final section examines legal jurisdiction and how justice was administered at each level.

This work is essential for scholars of medieval English law, political scientists, political philosophers, and anyone interested in the origins of English legal exceptionalism and its impact on the law of other nations.