CHAPTER XI 
STRICT PERIOD 
The Strict Period in Anglo-American law began with the 
reign of Edward I in 1272 and continued to the reign of James 
I, or, to be strictly accurate, ten years into the reign of 
James, when in 1613-1616 Chancellor Ellesmere triumphed 
over Lord Coke, and the Period of Equity began. But, just 
as the Archaic Period was towards its end becoming the Strict 
Period, and for about one hundred years was almost as much 
Strict Period as it was Archaic, so the Strict Period was, 
towards its end, becoming the Period of Equity, and much of 
the work of equity dates back more than a hundred years 
prior to 1613. The Strict Period was less than one-third as 
long as the Archaic Period. The Archaic Period lasted over 
eight centuries, altho how much more than eight centuries 
we do not know. The Strict Period lasted less than three 
and a half centuries, and from this time should be deducted 
almost a century occupied by the War of the Roses during 
the time of the Lancasters and Yorks (fifteenth century), 
when there was practically no legal development. 
Characteristics* The end of the law in the Strict Period, 
as in the Archaic Period, was the protection of the social in- 
terest in peace (and perhaps general security). This was 
done not by regulating vengeance and self-help, but by the 
substitution of law for force and private warfare. The pe- 
riod contributed some new antecedent rights, and some new 
courts and legal procedure, but its principal contribution was 
remedies. The emphasis in this period was placed upon reme- 
dial rights. However, probably the chief characteristic of the 
period was formality and technicality. The common law law- 
yers of the day regarded the common law as completely de- 
veloped. They regarded the great outlines of criminal law 
and private law as fixed. All that it needed was statement 
and prescission. How mistaken they were is shown by the 
Period of Equity, but any generation is liable to make such a 
mistake. 
Plantagenets and Tudors. As has been suggested, most of 
the legal development in this period occurred during the reigns 
of the last of the Plantagenets and of the Tudors. There was 
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