Alexander Murray is Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford and Fellow and Praelector in Modern History at University College, Oxford.

One of the most unusual features of this book is its expansiveness. I cannot think of another academic history monograph that gives so much space to the stories themselves

• Preface ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The Secrecy of the Act ; How to Find Out. I: Chronicles ; 3. The Reticence of Chronicles ; 4. The Probing of Disgrace ; 5. The Reticence Broken. The Preoccupations of Local and House Chronicles ; How to Find Out. II: Legal Sources ; 6. Suicide and Judicial Records ; 7. Portraits from English Courts: Criminals, Debtors, and the Sick ; 8. Portraits from English Courts: 'Insanity' and Some Optical Illusions ; 9. Portraits from French Courts ; 10. Portraits from Lettres de Remission ; 11. Portraits from Courts in the Empire ; How to Find Out. III: Religious Sources ; 12. Man, Woman, and Child ; 13. The Enemy of Society ; 14. The Sick and Melancholy ; Towards Statistics ; 15. Towards Statistics: Absolute Numbers ; 16. Towards Statistics: The Person and the Act ; Appendix: A Register of Recorded Suicidal Incidents - I. Chronicles; II. Legal Sources; III. Religious Sources ; A Bibliography of Legal Sources Used in the Register ; Select Bibliography to Part I

Alexander Murray is Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford and Fellow and Praelector in Modern History at University College, Oxford.

One of the most unusual features of this book is its expansiveness. I cannot think of another academic history monograph that gives so much space to the stories themselves

• Preface ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The Secrecy of the Act ; How to Find Out. I: Chronicles ; 3. The Reticence of Chronicles ; 4. The Probing of Disgrace ; 5. The Reticence Broken. The Preoccupations of Local and House Chronicles ; How to Find Out. II: Legal Sources ; 6. Suicide and Judicial Records ; 7. Portraits from English Courts: Criminals, Debtors, and the Sick ; 8. Portraits from English Courts: 'Insanity' and Some Optical Illusions ; 9. Portraits from French Courts ; 10. Portraits from Lettres de Remission ; 11. Portraits from Courts in the Empire ; How to Find Out. III: Religious Sources ; 12. Man, Woman, and Child ; 13. The Enemy of Society ; 14. The Sick and Melancholy ; Towards Statistics ; 15. Towards Statistics: Absolute Numbers ; 16. Towards Statistics: The Person and the Act ; Appendix: A Register of Recorded Suicidal Incidents - I. Chronicles; II. Legal Sources; III. Religious Sources ; A Bibliography of Legal Sources Used in the Register ; Select Bibliography to Part I