Readership: Early modern, intellectual, and legal historians
G. J. Toomer, Professor Emeritus of the History of Mathematics, Brown University
"The most learned of English scholars, Selden has been an object of awe and wonder for more than three and a half centuries, but has proved simply too learned, too inaccessible or too obscure for even experts to form any sense of his total achievement. Thanks to this remarkable and possible unrepeatable commentary, now we can." - William Poole, Times Higher Education Supplement
"... Selden the scholar has left a body of work which could be assessed only by a scholar as formidably learned as himself. He has been fortunate indeed in having at last found such an interpreter." - George Garnett, Times Literary Supplement
1: Early Years: Education 2: The Inner Temple and Literary London 3: The Resources for Scholarship in the Early 17th Century Classical and Medieval Texts Ancient inscriptions Numismatics Legal texts and treatises Hebrew and other non-European texts Libraries Acquisition of books and manuscripts Archives Forgeries and Romances The Bible as a historical authority Chronology Etymologies 4: Early Works Analecta Anglobritannica Janus Anglorum England's Epinomis Duello Illustrations to Poly-Olbion Critique to the early works 5: 'Antiquarian' Writings Titles of Honor 1614 Titles of Honor 1631 Of the Iewes sometimes living in England Letter to Vincent 6: Writings on English Legal History Fortescue Hengham Original of Testaments and Intestates Goods Dissertatio ad Fletam 7: De Diis Syris DS 1617 The reception of De Diis Syris DS 1629 Critiques of De Diis Syris 8: The Historie of Tithes Tithes and 'divine right' Why did Selden write Historie of Tithes? Composition of Historie of Tithes Significance of the title Publication of the book The Preface Tithes in the Old Testament Tithes among the Gentiles History of tithes among Christians generally History of tithes in England The Review Critique of Historie of Tithes The aftermath 9: The Social and Political Background to Selden's Later Work Patrons, friends and acquaintances The Virginia Company Parliaments Imprisonment and bail 10: Works on English Medieval History Eadmer Matthew Paris (1640) Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores 11: Marmora Arundelliana The inscriptions The edition Critique of Marmora Arundelliana 12: Mare Clausum Origin and publication of the book Book I Book II Critiques and reception of Mare Clausum 13: Earlier Works on Jewish Law Selden's approach to Jewish Law De Successionibus in Bona Defuncti Features of the 1636 edition De Successione in Pontificatum 14: De Iure Naturali Origin of the book Title and Preface Book I Books II-VII Critiques of De Iure Naturali 15: The Long Parliament and the Promotion of Scholarship Selden in the Long Parliament Religion and the Westminster Assembly The Universities Libraries Aid to scholars and promotion of scholarship Table Talk 16: Arabic Studies Helpers and aids to study Biblical and Christian religious works Eutychius The Koran Other Arabic works Printing in Arabic Selden's contribution to Arabic studies 17: Karaite Influences: De Anno Civili & Uxor Ebraica De Anno Civili Uxor Abraica 18: De Synedriis De Synedriis I De Synedriis II De Synedriis III Critiques of De Synedriis 19: Death and Legacy Deathbed scenes Funeral and Tomb Selden's Will The fate of Selden's library 20: Selden in the History of Scholarship Paradigms of scholarship: Selden and Ussher Purpose of scholarship Methodology Relations with other scholars Selden's influence Appendices A. Selden's "autobiography" B. Legal Texts C. Trinoda Necessitas D. The 'third edition' of De Diis Syris E. Selden's letter to Taylor on oriental studies F. Capistrum Iudaeorum G. The "Selden" emendations of Dio Chrysostom
