De Laudibus Legum Angliae (1616) and A Learned Commendation of the Politique Lawes of England (1567)

<h1>De Laudibus Legum Angliae (1616) and A Learned Commendation of the Politique Lawes of England (1567)</h1>

<p>Fortescue, Sir John. <em>De Laudibus Legum Angliae</em>. London: For the Companie of Stationers, 1616.</p>

<p>Fortescue, Sir John. <em>A Learned Commendation of the Politique Lawes of England</em>. 1st English ed. Translated by Robert Mulcaster. London: Rychard Tottill, 1567.</p>

<p><strong>Sir John Fortescue</strong> (c.1397–1479) composed this treatise around 1471 to instruct the Prince of Wales in the nature of common law vs. civil law from a decidedly pro-English point of view. He also touched upon the advantages of a constitutional monarchy over an absolute monarchy. <em>De Laudibus Legum Angliae</em> was written in the form of a dialogue between the author and the prince. As a work composed to instruct the layman, it contains a view of the law not seen in other treatises. While avoiding technical details, it provides the earliest commentary on the Inns of Court, the different elements of the legal profession and the nature of legal education at the time. The 1616 edition was the first edited by John Selden (1584–1654). The 1567 edition was the first English translation.</p>

<p>First free endpaper of <em>A Learned Commendation of the Politique Lawes of England</em> has the bookplate of Smith Child and contemporary manuscript notes.</p>

<h2>Usage Rights:</h2>

<p>Digital exhibit content is made available under CC BY-NC-SA.</p>

<h2>Files available for download:</h2>

<p><a href="https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/context/british-colonial-antecedents/article/1043/type/native/viewcontent">Combined title pages, De Laudibus and A Learned Commendation</a></p>

<p><a href="https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=1043&context=british-colonial-antecedents&type=additional">Front free endpaper and title page, A Learned Commendation</a></p>

<p><a href="https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=1&article=1043&context=british-colonial-antecedents&type=additional">Title page, De Laudibus Legum Angliae</a></p>

<p><a href="https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=2&article=1043&context=british-colonial-antecedents&type=additional">Title page, A Learned Commendation</a></p>