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Legal history: England & common law tradition: 1216-1399

1216-1399

Printed resources

Bracton De legibus et consuetudinibus Angliæ ed Woodbine 4 vols. Legal Hist B797a915

Maynard's Yearbooks (a 17th century republication of those year books which had already found their way into print, supplemented by one more) Legal Hist Y39M.

Selden Society Publications
: Annual Volumes, Supplementary Series and Lectures Legal Hist S464.4a-e

Year books of Edward I and Edward III (Rolls series) Legal Hist Y39R

Year books of Richard II (Ames Foundation) Legal Hist Y39A

 
If you don't have an Oxford SSO please see the second box in the right hand column of this page for links to open access to year books of Edwards I and III

In addition to relevant sections in general works such as Holdsworth's HEL, the links below are examples of some special monographs on the period.

Selden Society annual volumes often have very useful general introductions.

Don't forget articles in journals: use the Index to Legal Periodicals and Bibliography of British and Irish History to find them!

Government & parliament

Regnal years

Descendents of Counts of Anjou from death of John onwards commonly called
Plantagenets till 1399

Henry III 28 Oct 1216 - 16 Nov 1272

Edward I 20 Nov 1272 - 7 July 1307

Edward II 8 July 1307 - 20 Jan 1327

Edward III 25 Jan 1327 - 21 June 1377

Richard II 22 June 1377 - 29 Sep 1399

Some books for general background/context:

Year books of Edward I & Edward III: free online

Year books of Edward I in the Rolls Series are freely available via  Gallica.BNF.fr

The linked abbreviated titles below should take you through to the individual volumes.

The numbers in [ ] are how the various parts are identified in Gallica results. I have expanded them to show the actual years covered by the volume so numbered.

You cannot search for party names/keywords or anything else in these volumes. Navigate to specific page number quickly via drop down menu just above the open book. (NP is no pagination) Or click through page by page using arrows to left and right.

Court Records

L.C. Hector ed "Reports, writs and records in the common bench in the reign of Richard II" Hunnisset & Post (eds) Medieval Legal Records (1978) at 268-288  can still help with any exercise involving trying to match the record on the roll to a "report" in a manuscript or early year book.