Influential treatise on the criminal law of England written by Matthew Hale
Historia Placitorum Coronæ or The History of the Pleas of the Crown is an influential treatise on the
criminal law of England, written by
Sir Matthew Hale and published posthumously with notes by
Sollom Emlyn by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling (the assigns of Edward Sayer), for F. Gyles, T. Woodward, and C. Davis in 1736.[1]
Publication
The book was published despite an instruction in Hale's will that none of his manuscripts was to be printed after his death, unless he had ordered the publication during his lifetime.[2] This was defended by Emlyn on the basis that it was a work of enormous importance; that he appeared to have revoked this instruction in a
codicil; and that, in any event, it was obvious that he had intended to publish it. He further observed that the order was the result of fear that the text would be altered or abridged.
Contents
The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with
substantive law and the second part deals with procedure.
^Matthew Hale (1736), Historia Placitorum Coronæ: The History of the Pleas of the Crown, by Sir Matthew Hale Knt. Sometime Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench. Now First Published from his Lordship's Original Manuscript, and the Several References to the Records Examined by the Originals, with Large Notes. By Sollom Emlyn of Lincoln's-Inn Esq. To Which is Added a Table of the Principal Matters. In Two Volumes (1st ed.), London, in the
Savoy: Printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq.), for F. Gyles, T. Woodward, and C. Davis,
OCLC831163641.