# Commentaries on the Laws of England. Book 1 (1765)

An audiobook by William Blackstone, read by LibriVox volunteers (17 h 54 min, English).

~ BOOK THE FIRST ~ The Commentaries on the Laws of England are an influential 18th century treatise on the common law of England by Sir William Blackstone, originally published by the Clarendon Press at Oxford, 1765-1769. The Commentaries were long regarded as the leading work on the development of English law and played a role in the development of the American legal system. They were in fact the first methodical treatise on the common law suitable for a lay readership since at least the Middle Ages. The common law of England has relied on precedent more than statute and codifications and has been far less amenable than the civil law, developed from the Roman law, to the needs of a treatise. The Commentaries were influential largely because they were in fact readable, and because they met a need. The work is as much an apologia for the legal system of the time as it is an explanation; even when the law was obscure, Blackstone sought to make it seem rational, just, and inevitable that things should be how they were. (Summary from Wikipedia.)

[Listen](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/1735)

## Chapters

0. Preface (5:03): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-00_blackstone_64kb.mp3
1. Introduction - Section 1 - Part 1 (22:37): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-01_blackstone_64kb.mp3
2. Introduction - Section 1 - Part 2 (23:29): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-02_blackstone_64kb.mp3
3. Introduction - Section 1 - Part 3 (13:35): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-03_blackstone_64kb.mp3
4. Introduction - Section 1 - Part 4 (19:27): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-04_blackstone_64kb.mp3
5. Introduction - Section 2 - Part 1 (24:56): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-05_blackstone_64kb.mp3
6. Introduction - Section 2 - Part 2 (28:13): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-06_blackstone_64kb.mp3
7. Introduction - Section 2 - Part 3 (13:18): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-07_blackstone_64kb.mp3
8. Introduction - Secton 3 - Part 1 (28:20): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-08_blackstone_64kb.mp3
9. Introduction - Section 3 - Part 2 (22:29): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-09_blackstone_64kb.mp3
10. Introduction - Section 3 - Part 3 (28:56): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-10_blackstone_64kb.mp3
11. Introduction - Section 4 - Part 1 (32:50): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-11_blackstone_64kb.mp3
12. Introduction - Section 4 - Part 2 (25:44): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-12_blackstone_64kb.mp3
13. Ch 1: Of the Absolute Rights of Individuals - Part 1 (28:39): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-13_blackstone_64kb.mp3
14. Ch 1: Of the Absolute Rights of Individuals - Part 2 (23:46): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-14_blackstone_64kb.mp3
15. Ch 2: Of the Parliament - Part 1 (18:42): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-15_blackstone_64kb.mp3
16. Ch 2: Of the Parliament - Part 2 (17:37): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-16_blackstone_64kb.mp3
17. Ch 2: Of the Parliament - Part 3 (18:34): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-17_blackstone_64kb.mp3
18. Ch 2: Of the Parliament - Part 4 (30:00): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-18_blackstone_64kb.mp3
19. Ch 2: Of the Parliament - Part 5 (20:56): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-19_blackstone_64kb.mp3
20. Ch 3: Of the King and his Title - Part 1 (26:39): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-20_blackstone_64kb.mp3
21. Ch 3: Of the King and his Title - Part 2 (25:12): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-21_blackstone_64kb.mp3
22. Ch 3: Of the King and his Title - Part 3 (27:09): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-22_blackstone_64kb.mp3
23. Ch 4: Of the King's Royal Family (16:31): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-23_blackstone_64kb.mp3
24. Ch 5: Of the Councils Belonging to the King (11:01): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-24_blackstone_64kb.mp3
25. Ch 6: Of the King's Duties (6:53): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-25_blackstone_64kb.mp3
26. Ch 7: Of the King's Prerogative - Part 1 (19:32): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-26_blackstone_64kb.mp3
27. Ch 7: Of the King's Prerogative - Part 2 (24:10): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-27_blackstone_64kb.mp3
28. Ch 7: Of the King's Prerogative - Part 3 (24:05): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-28_blackstone_64kb.mp3
29. Ch 7: Of the King's Prerogative - Part 4 (18:05): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-29_blackstone_64kb.mp3
30. Ch 8: Of the King's Revenue - Part 1 (19:41): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-30_blackstone_64kb.mp3
31. Ch 8: Of the King's Revenue - Part 2 (24:04): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-31_blackstone_64kb.mp3
32. Ch 8: Of the King's Revenue - Part 3 (22:17): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-32_blackstone_64kb.mp3
33. Ch 8: Of the King's Revenue - Part 4 (24:40): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-33_blackstone_64kb.mp3
34. Ch 8: Of the King's Revenue - Part 5 (24:49): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-34_blackstone_64kb.mp3
35. Ch 9: Of Subordinate Magistrates - Part 1 (21:00): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-35_blackstone_64kb.mp3
36. Ch 9: Of Subordinate Magistrates - Part 2 (15:17): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-36_blackstone_64kb.mp3
37. Ch 9: Of Subordinate Magistrates - Part 3 (16:34): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-37_blackstone_64kb.mp3
38. Ch 10: Of the People, whether Aliens, Denizens, or Natives (19:04): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-38_blackstone_64kb.mp3
39. Ch 11: Of the Clergy - Part 1 (18:52): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-39_blackstone_64kb.mp3
40. Ch 11: Of the Clergy - Part 2 (31:10): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-40_blackstone_64kb.mp3
41. Ch 12: Of the Civil State (20:21): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-41_blackstone_64kb.mp3
42. Ch 13: Of the Military and Maritime States (34:48): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-42_blackstone_64kb.mp3
43. Ch 14: Of Master and Servant (19:00): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-43_blackstone_64kb.mp3
44. Ch 15: Of Husband and Wife (32:06): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-44_blackstone_64kb.mp3
45. Ch 16: Of Parent and Child (33:47): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-45_blackstone_64kb.mp3
46. Ch 17: Of Guardian and Ward (12:02): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-46_blackstone_64kb.mp3
47. Ch 18: Of Corporations - Part 1 (15:56): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-47_blackstone_64kb.mp3
48. Ch 18: Of Corporations - Part 2 (22:10): https://archive.org/download/commentaries_blackstone_0810_librivox/commentaries_laws_england_1-48_blackstone_64kb.mp3