Law Reports and Trials

The Law Rare Book Collection includes the trials of Charles I, the Cato Street conspirators, Andrew Johnson and the Tichborne Claimant, as well as an extensive collection of law reports. These include: A Complete Collection of State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason and Other Crimes and Misdemeanors; Select Trials at the Sessions-House in the Old-Bailey; The Reports of Richard Brownlow and John Goldesborough and Trials for Adultery, or, The History of Divorces.

La Graunde Abridgement

One of the earliest reports in the Law Rare Book Collection Collection is Sir Robert Brooke’s abridgement of the Year Books. First published in 1568, Brooke’s work completely abridges the Year Books of Henry VII’s and Henry VIII’s reigns. Under four hundred and four alphabetical headings, Brooke abridged close to 21,000 cases. Abridgements such as that of Brooke set the pattern for contemporary digests of case-law.

Author: Brooke, Robert, Sir, d. 1558
Title: La Graunde Abridgement
Published: London: R. Tottyl, 1586
Location: Law Library
Call number: UniM Law RB f 347.08 B871

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The Reports of Richard Brownlow and John Goldesborough

The Reports of Richard Brownlow (1553-1638) and John Goldesborough (or Gouldesborough) (dates unknown) were first published in 1651 (part 1 by both authors) and 1652 (part 2 by Brownlow only). The Law Library holds a copy of the third edition. Brownlow and Goldesborough’s reports cover the years 1569-1625.

Author: Brownlow, Richard
Title: The Reports of Richard Brownlow and John Goldesborough, Esquires; the first and second part.
Published: London, 1675
Location: Law Library
Call number: UniM Law RB 346.4 BRO

Trial of Charles I

This volume details the trial of King Charles I and the fates of his followers.

Title: England's Black Tribunal: Containing I. The complete tryal of King Charles the First by the pretended High Court of Justice in Westminster-Hall ... II. The loyal martyrology ... III. An historical register of the lords, knights, and gentlemen who were slain in defence of the their King and country during the unnatural rebellion ... IV. The loyal confessors: in a brief account of the most eminent sufferers by imprisonment, banishment, or in estate ...
Edition: 6th ed.
Imprint: London: Printed for C. Rivington, 1737
Location: Law Library
Call Number: UniM Law RB 942.06 E58

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Cato Street Conspiracy

The Cato Street Conspiracy was a plot to assassinate the British cabinet and so overthrow the government. The conspirators rented a disused stable in Cato Street (hence the name given to the conspiracy) from which to launch their attack, and it was during their last meeting there before the planned attack that they were arrested. The leader of the conspiracy, Arthur Thistlewood, stabbed and killed one of the arresting policemen. Thistlewood and four others were tried and executed for high treason on 1 May 1820. Five other conspirators were transported to Australia.

Title: An Authentic History of the Cato-Street Conspiracy: with the trials ... of the conspirators for high treason and murder; a description of their weapons and combustible machines, and every particular connected with the rise, progress, discovery and termination of the horrid plot
Author: Wilkinson, George Theodore
Edition:
Imprint: London: Printed for Thomas Kelly ..., [1820]
Location: Law Library
Call No.: UniM Law RB 343.1 W686

Trial of Andrew Johnson

Title: Trial of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States: before the Senate of the United States on impeachment by the House of Representatives for high crimes and misdemeanors
Author: Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875
Edition:
Imprint: Washington, D.C.: G.P.O., 1868
Location: Law Library
Call Number: UniM Law RB 347.7307 J66

The Tichborne Claimant

In 1886 Thomas Castro (aka Arthur Orton), a butcher from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, travelled to England to claim the baronetcy and estates of Sir James Tichborne. Castro claimed that he was in fact Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne (1829-1854?), Lord and Lady Tichborne’s son who had been presumed lost at sea off the coast of South America in 1854.

Although Orton’s claim was supported by the dowager Lady Tichborne, other family members were not convinced. Orton was put on trial first for ejectment (1871-1872), and then for perjury (1873-1874). He was found guilty of perjury and imprisoned for fourteen years.

Title: The Trial at Bar of Sir Roger C.D. Tichborne, Bart., in the Court of Queen's Bench at Westminster, before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn, Mr. Justice Mellor, and Mr. Justice Lush, for Perjury
Author:
Edition:
Imprint: London: Englishman Office, 1875-1880
Location: Law Library
Call Number: UniM Law RB f 343.1 o78.k