[ANSTHRLD] baronial service awards

[Diane Rudin]

Francois wrote: 

> If only a couple people still remember something how does it remain
> common law?  Especially since it does not seem to have been the
> practice for a while.  

I am working on a response to this, but it is taking some time, as
storms in the area are interfering with the operation of my computer.
 In addition, it takes time to look up and retype this much legal
history from my dictionaries, textbooks, class notes, and published &
unpublished papers.

The short version is that a key characteristic of the common law is
that is does NOT go away just because it's become obscure.  Most of
my research in English legal history for the past decade has revolved
around cases of ancient-and-obscure-but-still-in-effect laws.

--Serena


 
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