The Statutes of the Realm
Encyclopedia
The Statutes of the Realm is an authoritative collection of Acts
of the Parliament of England
from the earliest times to the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, and Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain
passed up to the death of Queen Anne in 1714. It was published between 1810 and 1825 by the Records Commissioners as a series of 9 volumes, with volumes IV and IX both split into two separately bound parts each, together with volumes containing an Alphabetical Index and a Chronological Index.
The collection contains all Acts included in all earlier printed collections, together with a number of Acts and translations which had not previously been printed. Also in contrast with previous collections, the full text of each Act is printed regardless of whether it was still in force at the time of publication. However, only the titles of Private Acts
are printed from 1539 onwards. The text of each Act is generally taken from the Statute Roll
s, or later from its enrollment in Chancery
, with missing text supplied from the original Acts preserved in the Records of Parliament and other sources.
The first volume is prefaced with a comprehensive introduction explaining how and why The Statutes of the Realm was prepared. It also contains the text of various charters of liberties, from the reign of Henry I
to that of Edward I of England
.
The collection does not contain any Acts passed by the old Parliament of Scotland
or the old Parliament of Ireland
, nor does it contain the Ordinances and Acts passed without royal authority in the mid-seventeenth century.
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...
of the Parliament of England
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...
from the earliest times to the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, and Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
passed up to the death of Queen Anne in 1714. It was published between 1810 and 1825 by the Records Commissioners as a series of 9 volumes, with volumes IV and IX both split into two separately bound parts each, together with volumes containing an Alphabetical Index and a Chronological Index.
The collection contains all Acts included in all earlier printed collections, together with a number of Acts and translations which had not previously been printed. Also in contrast with previous collections, the full text of each Act is printed regardless of whether it was still in force at the time of publication. However, only the titles of Private Acts
Local and Personal Acts of Parliament in the United Kingdom
Local and Personal Acts of Parliament are laws in the United Kingdom which apply to a particular individual or group of individuals, or corporate entity. This contrasts with a Public General Act of Parliament which applies to the entire community...
are printed from 1539 onwards. The text of each Act is generally taken from the Statute Roll
Statute Roll
Statute Roll is a manuscript parchment roll with the text of statutes passed by the medieval Parliament of England. Statute Rolls are also called Tower Rolls since they were kept in Wakefield Tower of the Tower of London until the 1850s....
s, or later from its enrollment in Chancery
Chancery
Chancery may refer to:* Chancery , the building that houses a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy* Chancery , a medieval writing office* Chancery , in Ceredigion, Wales...
, with missing text supplied from the original Acts preserved in the Records of Parliament and other sources.
The first volume is prefaced with a comprehensive introduction explaining how and why The Statutes of the Realm was prepared. It also contains the text of various charters of liberties, from the reign of Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
to that of Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
.
The collection does not contain any Acts passed by the old Parliament of Scotland
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
or the old Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
, nor does it contain the Ordinances and Acts passed without royal authority in the mid-seventeenth century.
List of volumes
| Volume | Contents (standardised citation) |
|---|---|
| I | Hen. 3 to Edw. 3 |
| II | Rich. 2 to Hen. 7 |
| III | Hen. 8 |
| IV (Part I) | 1 Edw. 6 to 27 Eliz. 1 |
| IV (Part II) | 28 Eliz. 1 to 28 Jas. 1 |
| V | Chas. 1 to Chas. 2 |
| VI | Jas. 2 to Will. & Mary |
| VII | Will. 3 |
| VIII | 1 Anne to 6 Anne |
| IX (Part I) | 7 Anne to 9 Anne |
| IX (Part II) | 10 Anne to 13 Anne |
See also
- Statutes at LargeStatutes at LargeStatutes at Large is the name given to published collections or series of legislative Acts in a number of jurisdictions:-England and Great Britain:* The Statutes at Large:...
- List of Acts of the Parliament of England
- List of Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain