Part 1 The parish: the legal framework for the parish; the parish government; an extra-legal democracy; the strangling of the parish; the legality of the close vestry; close vestry administration; the reform of the close vestry. Part 2 The county: the legal constitution of the county; the rulers of the county; county administration by justice out of sessions; the court of quarter sessions; the development of an extra-legal constitution; the reaction against the rulers of the county.