List of English statutes
Encyclopedia
This is a list of medieval statute
s and other laws issued under royal authority in the Kingdom of England
before the development of Parliament
. These instruments are not considered to be Acts of Parliament
, which can be found instead at the List of Acts of the Parliament of England.
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
s and other laws issued under royal authority in the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
before the development of Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
. These instruments are not considered to be Acts of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, which can be found instead at the List of Acts of the Parliament of England.
11th century
- Laws of William the Conqueror 1070-1087
- One God to be revered throughout the whole realm; peace and security to be preserved between English and Normans
- Oath of loyalty
- Protection of the King's Peace
- Frenchmen to pay "scot and lot"
- Live cattle to be sold in cities
- Defence of French allegations of offences
- Hold the law of King Edward
- Freeman's pledge and surety
- Prohibition on the sale of any man by another outside the country
- Forbidding killings and hangings
- Writ concerning spiritual and temporal courts c. 1072
- Writ concerning conduct of sheriffs c. 1077
- Coronation Charter 1100
- Freedom of the Church of God
- Redemption of lands by just and lawful "relief"
- Marriage
- Dower
- Common mintage
- Pardon of Debts and Fees owing to the King's brother
- Bequeathments of barons' properties
- Forfeiture by barons or the King's men
- Remission of all murder-fines incurred before the crowning of the King
- Retention of forests
- Relieving Knight's burden on their land
- Peace to be kept in all the kingdom
- Restoration of the law of King Edward
- Return of lands belonging to the King
12th century
- Charter concerning the holding of courts of shire and hundred 1108-1111
- Charter on confirmation of laws c. 1135
- Charter on liberties of church 1136
- Charter describing the Treaty of Winchester 1153
- Charter on confirmation of liberties 1154
- Constitutions of ClarendonConstitutions of ClarendonThe Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. The Constitutions were composed of 16 articles and represent an attempt to restrict ecclesiastical privileges and curb the power of the Church courts and the extent of Papal authority in England...
1164 - Writ of Henry II addressed to the bishops of England 1164
- Assize of ClarendonAssize of ClarendonThe Assize of Clarendon was an 1166 act of Henry II of England that began the transformation of English law from such systems for deciding the prevailing party in a case as trial by ordeal or trial by battle to an evidentiary model, in which evidence and inspection was made by laymen...
1166 - Charter of Henry II granting Meath to Hugh of Lassy 1172
- Assize of NorthamptonAssize of NorthamptonThe Assize of Northampton, largely based on the Assize of Clarendon of 1166, is among a series of measures taken by King Henry II of England that solidified the rights of the knightly tenants and made all possession of land subject to and guaranteed by royal law.The assize is believed to have been...
1176 - Assize of ArmsAssize of ArmsThe Assize of Arms of 1181 was a proclamation of King Henry II of England concerning the obligations of certain classes of persons to have arms, and of their obligation to swear allegiance to the king....
1181 - Assize of the Forest 1184
- Ordinance of the Saladin Tithe 1188
13th century
- Charter of Liberties unknown date before 15 June 1215
- Magna CartaMagna CartaMagna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
1215 - Magna Carta 1216
- Magna Carta 1217
- Charter of the Forest 1217Charter of the forestThe Charter of the Forest is a charter originally sealed in England by King Henry III. It was first issued in 1217 as a complementary charter to the Magna Carta from which it had evolved. It was reissued in 1225 with a number of minor changes to wording, and then was joined with Magna Carta in the...
- Magna Carta 1225
- Statute concerning the Jews 1233
- Royal ordinance on alienation by tenants-in-chief 1256
- Proclamation of 18 October 1258
- Assize of Bread and AleAssize of Bread and AleThe Assize of Bread and Ale was a 13th-century statute in late medieval English law, which regulated the price, weight and quality of the bread and beer manufactured and sold in towns, villages and hamlets. This statute is usually attributed to act 51 Hen. III, occurring about 1266–1267. It was...
1267 - Grant of custom on exported wool, woolfells and hides 1275
- Statute of the JewryStatute of the JewryThe Statute of the Jewry was a statute issued by Edward I of England in 1275. It placed a number of restrictions on Jews of England, most notably outlawing the practice of usury.- Context :...
1275 - Distraint of knighthood 1278
See also
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England to 1483
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England, 1485–1601
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England, 1603–1641
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England, 1660–1699
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England, 1700–1706