VÍCTOR SAUCEDO CONSPIRACY A Conceptual Genealogy CONSPIRACY A Conceptual Genealogy The Figuerola Institute Programme: Legal History The Programme “Legal History” of the Figuerola Institute of Social Science History –a part of the Carlos III University of Madrid– is devoted to improve the overall knowledge on the history of law from different points of view –academically, culturally, socially, and institutionally– covering both ancient and modern eras. A number of experts from several countries have participated in the Programme, bringing in their specialized knowledge and dedication to the subject of their expertise. To give a better visibility of its activities, the Programme has published in its Book Series a number of monographs on the different aspects of its academic discipline. Publisher: Carlos III University of Madrid Book Series: Legal History Editorial Committee: Manuel Ángel Bermejo Castrillo, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Catherine Fillon, Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 Manuel Martínez Neira, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Carlos Petit, Universidad de Huelva Cristina Vano, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II More information at www.uc3m.es/legal_history CONSPIRACY A Conceptual Genealogy (Thirteenth to Early Eighteenth Century) Víctor Saucedo ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5820-1898 Dykinson 2017 Historia del derecho, 59 ISSN: 2255-5137 © 2017 Víctor Saucedo Primera edición 2017, reimpresión Editorial Dykinson c/ Meléndez Valdés, 61 – 28015 Madrid Tlf. (+34) 91 544 28 46 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.dykinson.com Preimpresión: TALLERONCE ISBN: 978-84-9148-494-3 Versión electrónica disponible en e-Archivo http://hdl.handle.net/10016/26095 Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS . 13 INTRODUCTION . 17 I. THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE LAW OF CONSPIRACY . 30 1 The Codification of Conspiracy 30 1 The Trade Unions Issue 30 2 Codification Ideas and Ideals 34 3 The Instrumental Theory of Conspiracy and the Wide Rule 41 1 The History of the Wide Rule 44 2 Special Conspiracies 47 3 Conspiracy in Restraint of Trade 49 4 The Repeal of Conspiracy 51 4 The Attempt Theory of the Law of Conspiracy 53 1 Attempt by Conspiracy 53 2 The Wide Rule 56 2 Conceptual Continuity of the Law of Conspiracy 61 3 The Medieval Conspiracy 65 1 The Stationary Thesis: Conspiracies Against the State 69 4 Superseding Thesis 72 II. CONSPIRACY IN THE MIDDLE AGES . 77 1 Legislating the Corruption of Justice 77 1 Corruption of Royal Officers 77 2 Corruption of Jurors 79 3 Barratry and Corruption 83 4 The Ordinance of Conspirators 85 2 The Writ of Conspiracy in Action 93 7 VÍCTOR SAUCEDO 1 Disturbance of Right by Judicial Corruption and Barratry 94 2 Extortion and Wrongdoing by Judicial Corruption and Barratry 100 1 Extortion 101 2 Wrongdoing 102 3 Disturbance of Right, Extortion, and Wrongdoing 107 4 Genealogy of the Writ of Conspiracy as Applied to Wrongdoing 108 5 Wrongful Prosecution and Justification 109 6 Homicide in Will 115 3 Sole Defendant 118 3 The Definition of Conspirators 118 1 The Trailbaston in Action 126 2 The Articles of the Eyre in Action 127 1 The Formula De mutuis sacramentis 127 2 Malfeasance by Corrupt Officers 128 3 Barratry 128 4 Making Good Friends 132 1 The Fraternizing Model of Mutual Protection and Aid 132 2 Fraternal Agreement and Litigation 136 5 The Narrowing of Conspiracy 138 III. THE WILL FOR THE DEED . 142 1 Homicide in Coke 143 1 The Frame of Homicide 144 1 Malice Aforethought 144 2 Voluntariness 145 3 Sound Memory and Age of Discretion 145 4 Feloniousness 146 5 Consummation 146 2 Structure of the Category of Homicide 147 1 Manslaughter 147 1 Chancemedley 147 2 The Periphery of Manslaughter 148 2 Murder 149 1 The Periphery of Murder 149 2 The Ancient Law of Conspiracy 152 2 High Treason in Coke 155 1 Coke’s Analysis of The Treason Act 1351 155 8 CONSPIRACY 2 Attempt Theory of the Treason of Compassing the King’s Death 157 1 Will as the Intended Effect of the Action 157 2 The Action as Failed Execution 158 3 Coke’s Concept of ‘Attempt’ 159 4 Lexical Structure of the Blending between the Attempt and the Compassing the Death of the King 160 3 Volitive Theory of the Treason of Compassing the Death of the King 160 1 Open War 160 2 Compassing as a Crime 161 3 Structure of the ‘Overt Act’ 162 1 Words 162 2 Dethroning, Coercing and Preparations 164 3 Other Treasons as Evidence 164 4 Lexical Structure of the Volitive View 165 1 Conspiracy 165 4 Levying War 167 1 Meaning and Source 167 2 Volitive Theory of Levying of War 168 3 Constructive Treason 168 3 High Treason in Hale 170 1 Compassing the Death of the King 170 1 Source 170 2 Meaning 170 1 Volitive Theory 170 2 Attempt Theory 171 3 Overt Act Requirement (Burden of Proof) 173 4 Theory of the Overt Act 174 1 Preparations 174 2 Words 175 3 Assemblies and Alliances 176 5 The Field of Compassing the Death of the King 178 1 Conspiracy as a Type of Plan as form of Volition 178 2 Adhering the Enemy: Conspiracy as a Type of Bond 178 3 Attempt: Conspiracy as a Part of Crime 179 4 Evidence 180 5 Syntagmatic Relations: the Use of Bare 181 9 VÍCTOR SAUCEDO 2 Levying War 181 1 The Elements of the Treason of Levying War against the King 181 1 More Guerrino Arraiati 181 2 Purpose 182 2 The Field of the Levy War in Hale 183 1 Levy War as a Type of Assembly 183 3 Source: Compassing to Levy War/Levy War 185 1 Conspiracy as Co-Hyponym of Treason 189 2 Conspiracy as a Stage of Levy War: Bare Assembly, Assem- bly to Levy War, Unlawful Assembly, Levying of War 190 3 Conspiracy as Evidence of Treason 190 3 Conspiracy as a Type of Criminal Relationship 190 IV. THE RISE OF THE ACTION ON THE CASE . 192 1 A Litigious Society 193 2 The Law of Defamation 195 3 Action for Words 197 4 The Blending of Writ of Conspiracy and Action for Words 202 1 The Blended Frame 205 2 Wrongful Prosecution 206 1 Control of Prosecutors 206 2 Collective Behavior 219 3 The Writ of Conspiracy Arguments 223 3 Defamation 231 1 Slander 232 2 Vexation 234 3 Ecclesiastical Defamation 237 4 Abuse (Non-Justifiable Prosecution) 238 1 The Frame of Abuse within the Blended Action 241 5 Perjury 265 6 The Emergence of the Action on the Case 266 V. THE REARRANGEMENT OF THE LAW OF CONSPIRACY . 277 1 Conspiracy in the Court of Star Chamber 277 1 Analogy with the Writ of Conspiracy 277 2 Analogy with Defamation 281 3 Unjustified Prosecution 284 10 CONSPIRACY 4 Disturbance of Private Right 288 5 The Poulterers’ Case and Sir Anthony Ashley’s Case (1611) 288 1 The Facts of the Case 290 2 The Acquittal Requirement 297 3 Sir Anthony Ashley’s Case (1611) 299 4 The Narrow Principle 302 5 The Law of Mercy 303 2 The Integration of High Treason: Starling Case (1665) 305 1 The Brewers as Having Committed a Punishable Plot 306 2 The Brewers as Having Entered into a Punishable Alliance 308 3 The Brewers as Having Committed an Assembly to Some Unlawful Public Purpose 309 4 The Category of Conspiracy after Starling (Towards the Category of Criminal Conspiracy) 311 3 Punishable Plot Frame 312 1 Blackmail as a Punishable Plot 312 1 Timberly Case (1663) 313 2 Armstrong’s Case (1678) 315 3 Best Case (1705) 316 4 Kinnersley Case (1705) 318 2 Cheat and Fraud by Collusion as Punishable Plot 319 1 Conspiracy as Procurement of False Accusation 322 2 Conspiracy as Fraud by Collusion 322 3 Conspiracy as Scheme to Defraud 322 3 Duels as Punishable Plot 323 4 Enticement as Punishable Plot 325 4 Malicious Prosecution Frame 326 1 Innocence Requirement 327 5 Unlawful Assembly Frame 329 1 Unlawful Assembly and Cheats 329 6 False Accusation Frame 330 7 Hawkins 331 1 The Problem of Failed Prosecutions 331 2 Hawkins’ view of the Acquittal Requirement 332 APPENDIX . 338 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 344 11 ABBREVIATIONS 24 SS Maitland, F. W, Harcourt, L. W. V., and Bolland, W. C. eds. The Eyre of Kent. 6 &7 Edward II (A. D. 1313-1314). Vol 1. In Year Books of Edward II. Vol 5. London: Bernard Quaritch, 11 Grafton Street, W. 1910. 55 SS Sayles, G. O, ed. Select Cases in the Court of King's Bench under Edward I. Vol 1. London: Bernard Quaritch, 11 Grafton Street, W., 1936. 57 SS Sayles, G. O, ed. Select Cases in the Court of King's Bench under Edward I. Vol 2. London: Bernard Quaritch, 11 Grafton Street, W. 1938. 58 SS Sayles, G. O. Select Cases in The Court of King's Bench under Edward I. Vol. 3. London: Bernard Quaritch, 11 Grafton Street, W., 1939. 85 SS Cam., Helen M., ed. The Eyre of London 14 Edward II (A. D. 1321). Vol. 1. In Year Books of Edward II. Vol 26 (Part 1). London: Bernard Quaritch 11 Grafton Street, 1968. Black Co Blackstone, W. Commentaries on the Laws of England. 15th. Vols. 1-4. Edited by Edward Christian. London: Printed by A Strahan, Law-Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, For T. Cadell and W. Davies, in the Strand, 1809 [1769]. Bracton Bracton online. HTLM version of Bracton, Henry de. On the Laws and Customs of England. Latin edition by George E. Woodbine. Translated by Samuel E. Thorne. Cambridge (Mass.): Belknap Press in Association with the Selden Society, 1968.