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Anne Orthwood's Bastard: Sex and Law in Early Virginia

Anne Orthwood's Bastard: Sex and Law in Early Virginia

by JohnRustonPagan (Author)

  • New

    Paperback 2002

    $28.48
Synopsis

In 1663, an indentured servant, Anne Orthwood, was impregnated with twins in a tavern in Northampton County, Virginia. Orthwood died soon after giving birth; one of the twins, Jasper, survived. Orthwood's illegitimate pregnancy sparked four related cases that came before the Northampton magistrates - who coincidentally held court in the same tavern - between 1664 and 1686. These interrelated cases and the decisions rendered in them are notable for the ways in which the Virginia colonists modified English common law traditions and began to create their own, as well as what they reveal about cultural and economic values in an Eastern shore community. Through these cases, the very reasons legal systems are created are revealed, namely, the maintenance of social order, the protection of property interests, the protection of personal reputation, and personal liberty. Through Jasper Orthwood's life, the treatment of the poor in small communities is set in sharp relief.

$28.48

Quantity

10 in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 234
 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 28 Nov 2002
ISBN 10: 0195144791
ISBN 13: 9780195144796

Media Reviews
... marvellous piece of early American legal history ... a gripping story of substantial tragedy and limited triumph ... John Ruston Pagan's brief, tightly developed book reveals much about the modification and application of English law in America and should find a welcome audience among specialists, generalists, and their students. It represents that wonderful blend of legal and social history that now forms the backbone of what is rightly called the new legal history of early America. * The Journal of American History *
... complex and original piece of work. * Journal of American Studies *
This excellent book helps us understand much more about life and death in 17th-Century Virginia. * Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA) *
John Pagan's subtle and sophisticated research and analysis and his lucid and evocative writing bring to life these Virginians of 350 years ago. The character sketches of the servants, justices of the peace, planters, jurors, and of Anne Orthwood and her lover are gems of historical writing. Through the experiences of those people, Pagan teaches us how they lived and how they created and solved problems. * Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA) *
Author Bio
John Ruston Pagan is a Professor in the School of Law at the University of Richmond, Virginia.