Commentaries on the Laws of England: Book IV: Of Public Wrongs

by William Blackstone, Ruth Paley (Editor)

Overview

Oxford's variorum edition of William Blackstone's seminal treatise on the common law of England and Wales offers the definitive account of the Commentaries' development in a modern format. For the first time it is possible to trace the evolution of English law and Blackstone's thought through the eight editions of Blackstone's lifetime, and the authorial corrections of the posthumous ninth edition. Introductions by the general editor and the volume editors set the Commentaries in their historical context, examining Blackstone's distinctive view of the common law, and editorial notes throughout the four volumes assist the modern reader in understanding this key text in the Anglo-American common law tradition. In the final volume of the Commentaries Blackstone presents a comprehensive and critical overview of English criminal law and procedure, prefaced by a discussion of the philosophical and basis of the criminal justice system. His final chapter 'On the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvements, of the Laws of England' provides a fitting historical conclusion to the work as a whole.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191077654
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	08/11/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	450
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Ruth Paley is an Editor at the History of Parliament Trust, focusing on the House of Lords from 1660-1832.

Table of Contents

Editor's Introduction, Ruth Paley
Editorial Conventions, Wilfrid Prest
Book the Fourth: Of Public Wrongs
I. Of the Nature of Crimes; and their Punishment
II. Of the Persons Capable of Committing Crimes
III. Of Principles and Accessories
IV. Of Offences Against God and Religion
V. Of Offences Against the Law of Nations
VI. Of High Treason
VII. Of Felonies, Injurous to the King's Prerogative
VIII. Of Praemunire
IX. Of Misprisions and Contempts, Affecting the King and Government
X. Of Offences Against Public Justice
XI. Of Offences Against the Public Peace
XII. Of Offences Against Public Trade
XIII. Of Offences Against the Public Health, and the Public Police or Oeconomy
XIV. Of Homicide
XV. Of Offences Against the Persons of Individuals
XVI. Of Offences Against the Habitations of Individuals
XVII. Of Offences Against Private Property
XVIII. Of the Means of Preventing Offences
XIX. Of Courts of a Criminal Jurisdiction
XX. Of Summary Convictions
XXI. Of Arrests
XXII. Of Commitment and Bail
XXIII. Of the Several Modes of Prosecution
XXIV. Of Process upon an Indictment
XXV. Of Arraignment, and it's Incidents
XXVI. Of Plea, and Issue
XXVII. Of Trial, and Convinction
XXVIII. Of the Benefit of Clergy
XXIX. Of Judgement, and it's Consequences
XXX. Of Reversal of Judgement
XXXI. Of Reprieve, and Pardon
XXXII. Of Execution
XXXIII. Of the Rise, Progress, and Gradual Improvement, of the Laws of England
Appendix

Editorial Reviews

"Blackstone's Commentaries remain a central source for understanding both historical and modern Anglo-American law - as well as many debates in Anglo-American legal philosophy - and Oxford University Press's new edition of the Commentaries offers a valuable new resource for studying them." - Brian Bix, Jotwell

From the Publisher