Women in the Medieval Common Law C.12001500

This book examines the view of women held by medieval common lawyers and legislators, and considers medieval women's treatment by and participation in the processes of the common law.

List of contents

Introduction: women, the common law and the legal historians 1
PART I
Unions and divisions: women and the common law 11
1 ‘Their position is inferior to that of men’: differentiation, inclusion, omission 14
2 Unstable constructions: unity, disunity, property and favour in common law thought on women 34
PART II
Audible and inaudible; credible and not credible: women in thelegal process 53
3 ‘By the mouth of man’: women as non-party actors in litigation 55
PART III
Women’s complaints and complaints of women 79
4 Voice, agency and ‘playing the victim’ 84
5 Limits and accommodation 93
6 Responsible and irresponsible women: the female defendant 121
Conclusion: the future of women’s legal past 158

About the author

Gwen Seabourne is Professor of Legal History in the School of Law, University of Bristol, UK. She specialises in medieval legal history, and has written on medieval crime, economic regulation and medieval women.

Summary

This book examines the view of women held by medieval common lawyers and legislators, and considers medieval women’s treatment by and participation in the processes of the common law.

Product details

• Authors: Gwen Seabourne, Seabourne Gwen
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 06.04.2021
• EAN: 9781472439802
• ISBN: 978-1-4724-3980-2
• No. of pages: 176
• Series: Studies in Medieval History and Culture
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Social sciences, law, business > Law > Civil law, civil procedural law; HISTORY / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Women's Studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies, HISTORY / Military / Medieval, Medieval History, British & Irish history, c 1000 CE to c 1500, Legal History, Gender studies: women, Common Law, Gender studies: women and girls, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval, Systems of law: common law