English Common Law in the Age of Mansfield (Studies in Legal History)

445 Pages·2004·3.63 MB·English

by  James Oldham

English Common Law
in the Age of Mansfield

studies in legal history
PublishedbytheUniversityofNorthCarolinaPress
inassociationwiththeAmericanSocietyforLegalHistory
ThomasA.Green,HendrikHartog,and
DanielErnst,editors
LordMansfield,paintingbyJohnSingletonCopley,1783.
(CourtesyoftheNationalPortraitGallery,London)
English Common Law
in the Age of Mansfield
by james oldham
TheUniversityofNorthCarolinaPress
ChapelHillandLondon
©2004TheUniversityofNorthCarolinaPress
Allrightsreserved
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
SetinJanson
byTsengInformationSystems,Inc.
Thepaperinthisbookmeetstheguidelinesforpermanence
anddurabilityoftheCommitteeonProductionGuidelinesfor
BookLongevityoftheCouncilonLibraryResources.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Oldham,James.
EnglishcommonlawintheageofMansfield/byJamesOldham.
p.cm.—(Studiesinlegalhistory)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
isbn0-8078-2869-6(cloth:alk.paper)—
isbn0-8078-5532-4(pbk.:alk.paper)
1.Law—England—History—18thcentury. 2.Mansfield,WilliamMurray,
Earlof,1705–1793 I.Title. II.Series.
kd612.o44 2004
340.5'7'094209033—dc22 2003025859
cloth 08 07 06 05 04 5 4 3 2 1
paper 08 07 06 05 04 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface xi
EditorialStatement xv
Abbreviations xvii
part i
MansfieldandtheCourtofKing’sBench
1 LordMansfield 3
2 TheCourtofKing’sBench 12
part ii
CommerceandContract
3 ContractandQuasi-Contract 79
4 Bankruptcy 107
5 Insurance 124
6 NegotiableInstruments 152
7 Usury 165
8 PrizeandTrade 177
9 IntellectualProperty 190
part iii
CrimeandTort
10 Libel 209
11 RestrictionsonReligiousObservance 236
[vii]
viii Contents
12 Nuisance 248
13 Assault,FalseImprisonment,andOffenses
againstPublicOrderandWelfare 260
14 Perjury 268
15 Negligence 276
16 TrespassandTrover 292
part iv
StatusandProperty
17 Slavery 305
18 Marriage 324
19 LaborandEmployment 343
20 PropertyandWills 356
Conclusion 364
Appendix:TableofRegnalYears 371
Bibliography 373
TableofStatutes 393
TableofCases 395
GeneralIndex 409
Illustrations
‘‘TermTime,or,theLawyersAllAliveinWestminsterHall’’ 13
‘‘CouncellorDouble-Fee’’ 15
TheOldBailey 39
‘‘FirstDayofTerm’’ 45
‘‘LawyersinTerm’’ 46
‘‘APeepintoWestminsterHallonaCallofSerjeants’’ 49
WilliamBlackstone 109
‘‘AMeetingofCreditors’’ 114
King’sBenchPrison 123
‘‘ModerateInterest’’ 170
SouthfrontofKenwood 203
JohnWilkes 223
‘‘SawnyWetherbeatenor JudasIscariot’’ 223
‘‘TheRoyalChace’’ 225
‘‘InflammatoryArgumentsforandagainsttheTestLaws’’ 238
‘‘ViewofthePublicOffice,BowStreet,withSir JohnFielding
Presiding’’ 264
‘‘HeThatDebasethHimselfShallBeExalted’’ 270
GranvilleSharp 307
‘‘TheTrialoftheD.ofCumberlandandLadyGrosvenor
forCrim.Con.’’ 338
[ix]