Medieval Justice in United Kingdom

Background

In order to achieve justice, countries institute a legal system of some sort. However, sometimes those systems are flawed, and therefore, an injustice will occur, such as when innocent people are convicted of crimes they did not commit. The most common example used being the numbers cases. Justice is an entirely subjective concept, largely depending on political affiliation, and previous experience of the legal system. Similarly to law, there is a vast amount of documentation providing different definitions and different theories of justice. The Greek philosopher Aristotle was one of the earliest thinkers in relation to justice, and his theories are still influential today. Aristotelian justice is based upon the premise that a just law will allow citizens to fulfil their potential in society, and therefore developed the theory of distributive justice.

As opposed to corrective justice, distributive justice is concerned with allocation of assets such as wealth and honour, and achieving proportion. However, Aristotle believed that individuals should receive benefits; however benefits should be given to individuals in proportion to their individual claim. On the other hand, corrective justice is an application of disturbed distributive justice, by a wrongdoing. A judge is supposed to find out what damage has been done, and then attempt to restore equality by both confiscation and compensation. Similarly, Aquinas believed that laws should serve the “summum bonum” or “common good”, and that all laws are derived from a higher order, or a system of natural law.

Author: Annonym

Medieval Justice and Medieval Law

Medieval Justice and Legal History

Henry VI Statutes

For information about this topic, please read the entry, in this legal Encyclopedia, about: Henry VI Statutes

Medieval Justice and Medieval Law

Medieval Justice and Legal History

Legal Materials

(Compiled by the University of South Caroline Gould School of Law) Hawkins, William, ed. The Statutes at Large, From Magna Charta to the (Thirtieth) Year of King George the Second Inclusive (1225-1757) 9 Vols. London : J. Baskett, 1734-1759.

Pickering, Danby, and George K. Richards, ed. The Statutes at Large From the Magna Charta, to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761 (Continued to 1806). 109 Vols. Cambridge: J. Bentham, 1762-1869.

Machlinia, William de, ed. Nova Statuta, I Edward III to XXII Edward IV. n.p.: n.p., 1484.

Abstract: Text is in Middle French. The first printed collection of statutes, it contains two statutes (2 Rich. II cap. 7 and 8) omitted from later editions. Later edition published by Pynson (n.d.) covers the period 1 Edward III to 12 Henry VII. Statutes from Edward III to Richard III are in Latin and French, and those from 1-12 Henry VII are in English.

Ruffhead, Owen, ed. The Statutes at Large, From Magna Charta to the End of the (Reign of King George the Third.) 18 Vols. London: M. Basket, 1763-1800.

Abstract: These contain slightly abbreviated texts of Acts from 1235 to 1800. Vol. 1 in English, French, and Latin; Vol. 2 in English and French. A revised edition, edited by Charles Runnington, published 1786-1800.

Tomlins, Thomas E., and John Raithby, ed. The Statutes at Large, of England and of Great Britain: From Magna Carta to the Union of the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. 20 Vols. London : G. Eyre and A. Strahan, 1811.

Abstract: Vols. 1-2 edited by T. E. Tomlins; Vols. 3-20 edited by John Raithby.

Tomlins, Thomas E., William E. Taunton , and John Raithby, eds. The Statutes of the Realm. 11 Vols. London : History of Parliament, 1810.

Notes: Available online in British History Online at https://www.british-history.ac.uk/catalogue.asp?gid=83Abstract: Contents:

Vol. 1, 1101-1301, edited by Sir T.E. Tomlins and W.E. Taunton

Vol. 2, 1377-1503/04, edited by Sir T.E. Tomlins and W.E. Taunton

Vol. 3, 1509/10-1545, edited by Sir T.E. Tomlins and W.E. Taunton

Vol. 4, 1547-1624, edited by T.E. Tomlins

Vol. 5, 1625-1680, edited by John Raithby

Vol. 6, 1685-1694, edited by John Raithby

Vol. 7, 1695/6-1701, edited by John Raithby

Vol. 8, 1702-1707, edited by John Raithby

Vol. 9, 1708-1713, edited by John Raithby

The online version includes only the 9 volumes of statutes and not the final two volumes of indexes.

Bibliographies of English Law History

Maxwell, William H. A Legal Bibliography of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Volume 1: English Law to 1800. London: Sweet and Maxwell, 1955-
Beale, Joseph H. A Bibliography of Early English Law Books. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1926.
Winfield, Percy H. The Chief Sources of English Legal History. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1925.

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