"An Ald Reht" : Essays on Anglo-Saxon Law

Description

This volume brings together thirteen essays on aspects of the legal system of Anglo-Saxon England. They represent a programme of research carried out over the last twenty years, offering important insights into the operation of English law from its beginnings in the sixth century through to its preservation in manuscripts dating from the tenth to early twelfth centuries.Part I begins with an overview of the legal corpus, followed by a discussion of the relationship between secular and ecclesiastical law, and an examination of seventh-century legislation as evidence for the status of women. Part II presents revisionist interpretations of individual laws from the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Kent and Wessex, and Part III focuses on the manuscript evidence.The collection will be of interest to Anglo-Saxon historians, linguists and palaeographers, as well as to academics and postgraduate students in the wider fields of medieval studies and the history of English law.