Legal Development in Colonial Massachusetts 1630-1686

Explores a fascinating aspect of the early colony's legal system: its denial of the binding force of English law in favor of an original legal system. Although the common law played a role, the colonists used it selectively and combined it with the provisions of the colony's charter, local statutes and scripture. One of the earliest books on the history of American law, this pioneering work was originally published in the series Studies in History, Economics and Public Law edited by the Political Science Faculty of Columbia University.