GLANVILL, RamIf de, chief justiciar of England, who flourished in the 12th century. He is known chiefly as the author of the first standard hook on English common law. The facts of his life are few, but his career ap pears to have been somewhat as follows: He became sheriff of Yorkshire (1163-70); and in 1173 was appointed sheriff of Lancashire. He participated in the battle of Alnwick (1174) and in the following year was reappointed to his post at Yorkshire. The king then appointed him justice of the king's court and itinerant justice of the northern circuit, and in 1180 he was chosen chief justiciar of England. He rose to prominence and power during Henry's reign, but the king's successor, Richard I, threw him into prison. After ransoming him self at a handsome figure, Glanvill joined the Crusaders and perished at the siege of Acre in 1190. His work, which was written either by himself or under his supervision, was pub lished under the title, 'Tractatus de legibus et consuetudinibus regni Anglin.' It was the first
important treatise on English law from the point of view of procedure, and is an invaluable source for information concerning ancient customs and laws, particularly of the Curia Regis. For many years, until superseded by the monumental works of Bracton, it remained the authority on all matters of legal procedure. It was reprinted many times and re-edited with annotations from time to time. The Scottish work, 'Regiam Majestatem' which follows it closely, is generally supposed to be a copy or an adaptation of Glanvill. Glanvill's treatise was first published in 1554. An English trans lation was not completed until 1812, when John Beames published his work with careful notes and introduction. An early French version is available in manuscript form. The latest edi tion is by J. H. Beak (Washington 1900).