Part I. The development of the law of charity 1532–1700: 1. Introduction: Charity before the Reformation; 2. The Reformation and the law of charity; 3. The Statutes of Charitable Uses: 39 Elizabeth I c. 6 and 43 Elizabeth I c. 4; 4. The development of the Law of Charity 1545–1700: A definition of charity; 5. The development of the Law of Charity 1545–1700: The privileges of charity; Part II. The development of the Law of Charity 1700–1827: 6. Introduction; 7. The Mortmain Act, 1736; 8. The preamble to the Charitable Uses Act, 1601, and the definition of charity; 9. The influence of the Mortmain Act, 1736, on the definition of charity; 10. The development of the Law of Charity 1700–1827: The privileges of charity; 11. The Enforcement of Charitable Trusts 1700–1827.