Leigh, Edward, 1602-1671.
Leigh's Philologicall Commentary : English Law
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| Philologicall Commentary, 1652 |
Edward Leigh was born in Leicestershire, and studied at Oxford. After receiving his M.A. in 1623, he entered the Middle Temple and devoted himself to law, divinity, and history. He attained some stature in public life, having been elected a Member of Parliament at Stafford and appointed a seat in the assembly of divines. Leigh became known as a prolific writer, but not a great one: his works were "mostly compilations, and evince little scholarship or acumen."
Leigh's law dictionary was a small octavo volume, first published in 1652. He intended it to be used by young students of the law and "country gentlemen." It is considered a minor work that "is neither comprehensive nor original" (Cowley, lxxxix).
Leigh addressed the originality problem in his preface: "But least any should object (as perhaps some may) that I have nothing here but what is already in the Terms of Law, and Cowels Interpreter; I shall intreat the Judicious, to compare what I have of the word Accessary, Actions, Appeal in the letter A with what is in them, and so likewise in any other letter -- and I doubt not but he will acknowledge, that there is difference enough between this and the others." Leigh's definitions are in fact similar enough to Cowell and the Termes, but are simpler. A second edition of the dictionary, to which only a table was added, was issued in 1658.
See John D. Cowley, A Bibliography of Abridgments, Digests, Dictionaries and Indexes of English Law, to the year 1800 (London: Quaritch, 1932), and Dictionary of National Biography.
Bibliography
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