A History of Criminal Tudor England

From noble intrigues at the restless royal court to the rough justice of parish life, A History of Criminal Tudor England explores how law, transgression, and faith shaped a society perched between medieval order and modern ambition. In a world ruled by the rhythm of the church and the uncertainty of the seasons, theft, murder, and misfortune exposed both the desperation and the ingenuity of England’s people. Drawing on centuries of legal records and the vivid stories buried in the plea rolls and assize courts, this book uncovers a world of accidents and murders, faith and cunning. Here are joiners who built secret priest holes, vagrants who defied their parishes, and killers who escaped the noose by reciting a single verse of scripture. Through these tales of fear, faith, and fragile justice, we see Tudor England not as a distant past, but as a living, breathing society which was restless, devout, and dangerously human.