Benjamin Fossett Lock

“ After several essays in periodicals through 1896-7 (see Collected Papers) he published in 1898 his 'Roman Canon Law in the Church of England,' finally proving that the pre-Reformation canon law enforced in England was purely Roman. His judgment was accepted, even by Stubbs, who was in part responsible for the other theory. Free from all theological bias, Maitland regarded the Reformation as a national movement of statesmen, using royal necessities and reformers' enthusiasm to deliver England from the actual oppression of Papal canon law and the prospective infliction of the mediæval civil law. ”

“ He consequently succeeded in 1887 in founding the Selden Society, 'to encourage the study and advance the knowledge of the history of English law' by publishing needful material, with headquarters in the Inns of Court in London, and under the direction of the legal authorities. In the twenty years intervening between its foundation and Maitland's death the society issued twenty-one volumes on the history of different branches of the law, edited either by himself or by editors selected and supervised by himself. ”

“ In 1884 Maitland was elected to the newly established readership in English law in the university of Cambridge, and there he mainly resided till his death. In 1888 he was elected Downing professor of English law, and moved to West Lodge, his official residence in Downing College. His inaugural lecture as professor, 'Why the History of English Law is not Written,' was a popular exposition of his aims and an appeal for fellow workers. ”