Legal Definitions - Fleta seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani

Fleta seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani, often simply referred to as Fleta, is a significant historical legal text from 13th-century England. It is a comprehensive treatise that documented and commented on the laws of England during that period, offering insights into the legal principles and procedures of the time.

This work is notable for its close relationship to another foundational legal text, Bracton's De Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliae (On the Laws and Customs of England), from which Fleta draws heavily. The identity of its author remains unknown, though it is popularly believed to have been penned by a legal scholar or judge while incarcerated in London's Fleet Prison, giving rise to its abbreviated name.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of this term:

• Legal History Research: A legal historian researching the evolution of property rights in medieval England might consult a scholarly edition of Fleta. By analyzing its chapters on land tenure and inheritance, the historian could trace how these concepts were understood and applied in the 13th century, comparing them to earlier Anglo-Saxon laws or later developments in common law.

  This example demonstrates how Fleta serves as a primary source document for academic study, providing direct insight into the legal framework of a specific historical period.

• Academic Citation: A law student writing a master's thesis on the origins of the English common law system might cite Fleta alongside Bracton in their bibliography. They might use passages from Fleta to illustrate how legal principles articulated by Bracton were reiterated or slightly adapted by subsequent legal scholars, showcasing the continuity of legal thought.

  This illustrates Fleta's role as a recognized authority in legal scholarship, often referenced to support arguments about the historical development and intellectual lineage of English law.

• Archival Preservation: A curator at a university's special collections library might describe a rare 17th-century printed edition of Fleta seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani as a cornerstone artifact for understanding the development of English jurisprudence. They would highlight its importance not just as a text, but as a physical representation of the transmission of legal knowledge through centuries.

  This example emphasizes Fleta's significance as a historical artifact and a valuable item within legal archives, representing a tangible link to the past of English law.