Böcker av R. B. Outhwaite

The first history of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in England that covers the period up to the removal of principal subjects inherited from the Middle Ages. Probate, marriage and divorce, tithes, defamation, and disciplinary prosecutions involving the laity are all covered. All disappeared from the church's courts during the mid-nineteenth century, and were taken over by the royal courts. The book traces the steps and reasons - large and small - by which this occurred.

This study explores the nature and scale of clandestine marriage in England during the years 1500-1850. The author describes why it attracted so many customers and why it was so hard to suppress. It aims to provide a different perspective on a central social and religious institution.