Pesnelle, Coutume de Normandie (1759)

Author(s): N. Pesnelle; Jacques-Henri Roupnel de Chenilly (b. 1721)

Title: Originally published as Pesnelle's La Coutume de Normandie expliquée (editions of 1704, 1727) and later with Roupnel's additions as Coutume de Normandie expliquée par M. Pesnelle Avocat au Parlement avec les observations de M. Roupnel (the other editions).

Remarks:

Little seems to be known of Pesnelle, not even his first name (publishers often used "N." to indicate ignorance of the same) and that he was the king's procureur in the vicomté of Rouen; indeed, Charles Routier's Principes (1742), p. 13 attributes the basis of the work to one Maître de l'Epiney. Pesnelle's method was to take each article of the Coutume Réformée and offer a digest of the works of other commentators. Roupnel's comments on Pesnelle have been valued particularly. The work's treatment of set off has been cited in the Royal Court, and more generally in the article by Adv. P.R. Collas, noted below. Edition(s) (this copy in bold): 1704, 1727, 1759, 1766, 1771. Provenance of this copy: St John Robilliard Collection

Further reading:

G. Dawes, "Introduction" to G. Dawes (ed.), G. Terrien, Commentaires du Droict Civil (Guernsey, 2010), p. 36-37. V. Lemonnier-Lesage, "Pesnelle, N., né à Rouen au XVII^e siècle", "Roupnel Jacques-Henri, sieur de Chenilly, né le 3 mars 1721 à Mortain", both in P. Arabeyre, J-L Halpérin, and J. Krynen (ed.), Dictionnaire historique des juristes français xii^e -- xx^e siècle (Paris, 2007). P.R. Collas, "Set off", Guernsey Law Journal, ii (1985), 29-38.