The History of English Law before the Time of Edward I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1898. Two volumes. xxxviii, 688; xiv, 691 pp. Reprinted 1996 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. LCCN 96-16003. ISBN 1-886363-22-6. Cloth. $165. Second edition. A landmark work on English legal history. Professors Maitland of Cambridge and Pollock of Oxford joined forces (although Maitland is credited with the lion's share) to write what has been termed an epoch-making work. The authors elucidate the origins of English law, providing for the first time a systematic presentation of the early stages of its evolution. The first volume gives an historical overview, beginning with ecclesiastical law and proceeding to cover Anglo-Saxon law, Norman law, Roman and Canon law, and law in the time of Glanvill and Bracton. The second treats the doctrines of English law, including all aspects of tenure, the law of personal condition, status, and estate, and the jurisdiction and the communities of the land. Clear exposition and countless references make this an essential book for anyone interested in early English law.

    Starting in the late 15th century and going through the late 19th century, Lyman Ray Patterson traces the regulation of publishing in Europe and the United States and the threats to fair use and public domain caused by shifting understandings of copyright law.

    The authors classify the history of crime into three primary eras: the early Middle Ages, in which penance and fines were the predominant modes of punishment; the later Middle Ages, in which harsh corporal punishment and capital punishment moved to the forefront; and the seventeenth century, in which the prison system was more fully developed. They also discuss more recent forms of penal practice, most notably under the constraints of a fascist state.