The Great Boke of Statutes

Title: The Great Boke of Statutes
Heading: Printing the Law
Description: The Great Boke of Statutes gathered together parliamentary legislation from the reign of Edward III to that of Henry VIII. By bringing decades of statute law into a single printed volume, books such as this changed how English law circulated and was consulted. Laws that had once existed primarily in scattered manuscript copies could now be reproduced in larger numbers, standardised, and more readily consulted by lawyers, civic officials, and administrators across the kingdom.

The growth of printed statute books coincided with the expansion of Tudor government and the increasing use of parliament to enact religious and political change. Under Henry VIII, legislation played a central role in establishing royal supremacy over the Church of England and authorising the dissolution of the monasteries. Print gave these acts greater visibility, helping project royal policy throughout the realm.

The title-page woodcut reinforces this connection between print, law, and monarchy. The enthroned ruler is presented as the source of justice and legal authority, linking statute law to dynastic power and political order. The printed statute book was therefore more than a practical legal reference: it was also a visible expression of Tudor governance and the expanding authority of the state.
Exhibition Section: The Power of Print
Author: England and Wales
Place of Publication: London
Publisher: William Middleton
Date of Publication: ca 1542
Format: Folio
Century: 16th
Illustrations: Woodcut