ABSTRACT
Aswasarguedintheintroductiontothisbook,oneoftheproblemsinstudyingcrimeinthepastisthetemptationtodosofrom theperspectiveofthebodiesandsocialgroupsresponsiblefor framingandimplementingthecriminallaw.Threemainreasons mightbeadducedforthis:firstly,thepredominanceofthelegalhistoricalapproach,whichhaslaidundueemphasisonthedecisionsofthelegislatureandthejudiciary;secondly,thestilllingering tendencytoregardsocialhistoryassomehowbelowthe'dignityof thehistorian';andthirdly,theestablishedviewwhichseesEnglish historyintermsofaprogressiveevolution.TheWhiginterpretation,albeitinadilutedform,hasdiedhard,andstillinformsmany ofthebasicassumptionsofhistoryasitistaughttoschoolchildren andundergraduates.Seenfromsuchperspectives,crime,likeso manyaspectsofthelifeofthepoor,onlybecomesofinterestwhen itconstitutesa'problem'forthecountry'srulers.Inthe1970s, however,somehistoriansattemptedaratherdifferentanalysisof crimeinthepast,andclaimedthatatleastsomeformsofoffence arebestinterpretedasrationalandcoherentactionsarisingfrom orjustifiedbyasetofattitudesdifferentfromthoseofofficialdom. Whereasemphasishaspreviouslybeenplacedonlegislation,or themachineryusedtoenforceit,researchandre-thinkinghas revealedthepotentialitiesofwhatmightbedescribedasa'history frombelow'approachtocrimeinthepast.Oncemore,weare remindedofhowcourtrecordsprovideuniqueinsightsintothe
·mentalities,attitudesandaspirationsofthelowerordersofearly modernEngland.
