Church Courts, Sex and Marriage in England, 1570–1640 (Paperback)

List of tables; List of maps; Preface; Conventions and abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. The Legal and Social Background: 1. The structure of ecclesiastical justice; 2. Economic and social structures; 3. Religion and the people; 4. Sex and marriage: laws, ideals and popular practice; Part II. Sex and Marriage: The Pattern of Prosecutions: 5. Matrimonial causes: (i) the breakdown of marriage; 6. Matrimonial causes: (ii) marriage formation; 7. Prenuptial fornication and bridal pregnancy; 8. Incest, adultery and fornication; 9. Aiding and abetting sexual offences; 10. Sexual slander; Part III. Church Courts and Society: 11. The effectiveness of ecclesiastical justice; 12. Church courts and society in 1640: retrospect and prospect; Bibliography; Index.