Crime in Early Modern
England 1550-1750
2nd edition

By J. Sharpe
November 1998
Pearson Education
ISBN: 0582238897
296 pages
$58.50 Paper Original

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Still the only general survey of the topic available, this widely-used exploration of the incidence, causes and control of crime in Early Modern England throws a vivid light on the times.

It uses court archives to capture vividly the everyday lives of people who would otherwise have left little mark on the historical record. This new edition - fully updated throughout - incorporates new thinking on many issues including gender and crime; changes in punishment; and literary perspectives on crime.

Contents
List of tables and figures Preface and acknowledgements 1. Definitions, methods and objectives 2. Courts, officers and documents 3. Measuring crime, measuring punishment 4. Controlling the parish 5. The criminal orders of early modern England 6. Social crime and legitimizing notions 7. Elite perceptions and popular images 8. Continuity and change in crime and punishment 1550-1750 Notes and references. Bibliographical note. Index

Features
" First revision of this pioneering work since 1984, fully updated throughout with 15 years of new scholarship.
" Has a strong historiographical dimension, describing not only the diverse literature on the subject but also exploring the different methodologies for the study of crime.
" Looks at who the criminals were, examines attitudes of the elite classes and also popular stereotypes of crime, considers changes in crime and its treatment to the wider socio-economic changes from 1550 to 1750.

Review
'…well-written, well-organized, well-produced volume which will remain the standard student text for some time to come.'
History


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