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ΟΝ ΤΗ Ε

LAW S

O F

ENGLA N D.

BOOK THE FIRST.

BY

WILLIAM BLACKSTONE, ES Q.

VINERIAN PROFESSOR OF LAW,

ΤΟ

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,

THE FOLLOWING VIEW

OF THE LAWS AND CONSTITUTION

OF ENGLAND,

THE IMPROVEMENT AND PROTECTION OF WHICH

HAVE DISTINGUISHED THE REIGN

OF HER MAJESTY'S ROYAL CONSORT,

IS,

WITH ALL GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY,

MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED

BY HER DUTIFUL

AND MOST OBEDIENT

SERVANT,

WILLIAM BLACKSTONE.

PREFACE.

TH

HE following fbheets contain the fubftance of a courfe of lectures on the laws of England, which were read by the author in the university of OXFORD. His original plan took it's rife in the year 1753: and, notwithstanding the novelty of fuch an attempt in this age and country, and the prejudices ufually conceived against any innovations in the established mode of education, he had the fatisfaction to find (and he acknowleges it with a mixture of pride and gratitude) that his endeavours were encouraged and patronized by thofe, both in the univerfity and out of it, whofe good opinion and esteem he was principally defirous to obtain.

THE death of Mr VINER in 1756, and his ample benefaction to the univerfity for promoting the fudy of the law, produced about two years afterwards a regular and public eftablishment of what the author had privately un

a

dertaken.