Sexual slander in nineteenth-century England : defamation in the ecclesiastical courts, 1815-1855 / Stephen Michael Waddams.

Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 2000.

22891

Libel and slander -- Great Britain -- History.

Ecclesiastical courts -- Great Britain -- History.

Adultery -- Great Britain -- History.

Fornication -- Great Britain -- History.

Introduction : Grievous and oppressive to the subjects of this realm

Part I. The law: 1. The common law

2. The ecclesiastical law

Part II. The courts: 3. The courts and their officers

4. Patterns of litigaton

5. Evidence

6. Costs

7. Penance

Part III. The cases: 8. The parties

9. The injury

10. Motives

11. Consequences

Postscript : A barbarous state of our law

Tables: 1. Ecclesiastical court business, 1827-30

2. Defamation cases by diocese, 1815-1855, with diocesan populations in 1835

3. Defamation cases by five-year periods, 1815-1855

4. Defamation cases by sex and marital status of parties (Norwich and York)

5. Populations of places of plaintiffs' residence (Norwich)

6. Disposition of causes at various stages of litigation (Norwich)

7. Sex and literacy of witnesses (Norwich and York)

Appendices: A. Illustrative cause papers

B. Occupations of parties and parties' husbands (Norwich and York) and of male plaintiffs (England and Wales).

Includes bibliography and index.

Sexual slander in nineteenth-century England

0802047505

xvi, 315 p ; Ill.