Legal history
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An Indispensable Member? Legal expertise in the Long Parliament, ‘an ancient lawyer’ and civil war intimidation
In the past, as with now, it was not uncommon to find those trained in the practice of law seated…
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Three degrees of separation: alternatives to divorce in early modern England
As part of the History of Parliament’s blog series on marriage, Dr Paul Hunneyball, assistant editor of the Lords 1558-1603…
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Elizabeth I, the ‘estate of marriage’, and the 1559 Parliament
To mark Women’s History Month, Dr Paul Hunneyball, assistant editor of our Lords 1558-1603 section, recalls the first public statement…
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‘Death-bed disinherison by so foul a practice’: Parliament, the Vanlore heiresses and an early modern whodunnit
In Women’s History month, Dr Vivienne Larminie, assistant editor of our Commons 1640-1660 section, looks at how petitions to Parliament…
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‘Great Quarrels and Disputes’ or A Bun in the Oven? The Penshurst Claimant and the earldom of Leicester
In today’s blog Dr Robin Eagles, editor of our House of Lords 1715-1790 project, continues our look into the marriages…
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Parliament and the trial of the ‘peers of the land’ in Henry of Lancaster’s revolt, 1328-29
Ahead of next Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Matt Raven, of the University…
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Cancelling Christmas? William Prynne, kill-joy and martyr, and the onslaught on ‘pagan Saturnalia’
With the government currently recommending scaled-back Christmas celebrations, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Vivienne Larminie, assistant editor of our…
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The brief triumph of Richard, duke of York: the Parliamentary Accord of 31 October 1460
Our latest blog comes from Dr Simon Payling, senior research fellow in our Commons 1461-1504 project. In October 1460 Richard,…
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Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland: the brains behind the Gunpowder Plot?
As we approach Bonfire Night on 5 November, Dr Paul Hunneyball of our Lords 1558-1603 project ponders whether we should…
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Catholic Forfeitures during the English Revolution: Parliament and the Role of Sequestration Agents
Ahead of Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Eilish Gregory at the University of Reading. She…
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The barbarity of the medieval criminal law: petty treason and the murders of Sir Thomas Murdak and John Cotell
In today’s blog Dr Simon Payling, senior research fellow in our Commons 1461-1504 project, once again turns his attention to…
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Plague, prorogation and the suspension of the courts in fifteenth-century England
In another timely blog from our History of Parliament researchers, today Dr Simon Payling, senior research fellow for the Commons…