Legal antiquities : A collection of essays upon ancient laws and customs by White
"Legal Antiquities: A Collection of Essays upon Ancient Laws and Customs" by White is a scholarly collection of historical essays written in the early 20th century. The book explores the development and peculiarities of ancient legal systems, primarily focusing on Anglo-Saxon and English law, with occasional references to Roman and other traditions. Its main topic is the evolution of various legal institutions and customs—ranging from marriage laws to trial by ordeal and
witchcraft—exploring how these practices shaped and reflected the societies that created them. The opening of "Legal Antiquities" offers a comprehensive introduction that situates the study of old laws and customs within the context of the rapid changes and restlessness of modern (early 20th-century) society. The author advocates for a thoughtful examination of legal history to avoid blindly discarding valuable traditions or repeating past mistakes, underlining the need for a careful balance between reform and preservation. Chapter I begins with an in-depth survey of marriage laws and customs, tracing their origins from early tribal societies through Roman and Hebrew practices, up to medieval and early modern England. It details the evolution of marriage forms (monogamy, polygamy, polyandry), related customs such as dowries and wedding rings, legal implications, and strange traditions like "smock-marriages." The text consistently ties legal developments to social change, emphasizing the historical contingency and cultural diversity of the laws shaping personal relationships. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | White, Edward J. (Edward Joseph), 1869-1935 |
|---|---|
| LoC No. | 13001567 |
| Title | Legal antiquities : A collection of essays upon ancient laws and customs |
| Original Publication | St. Louis, Mo.: The F. H. Thomas law book co., 1913. |
| Note | Reading ease score: 65.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Contents | Marriage laws and customs -- Witchcraft and sorcery -- Recall of judges -- Trial by battle -- Trial by ordeal -- Peine forte et dure -- Wager of law -- Benefit of clergy -- Privilege of sanctuary -- Ancient punishments -- Wills, quaint and curious. |
| Credits | WebRover, Tim Lindell, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | K: Law in general, Comparative and uniform law, Jurisprudence |
| Subject | Law -- History |
| Subject | Law, Ancient |
| Subject | Criminal law -- History |
| Subject | Punishment -- History |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 75835 |
| Release Date | Apr 11, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 472 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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