These volumes trace the development of the rule of law in Newfoundland in the 17^th and 18^th century from the Western Charter and its antecedents through to the emergence of a Supreme Court of appellate and original inherent jurisdiction in 1792. They explain the evolution of the legal environment in which Newfoundland’s early Chief Justices worked and carried out their duties in interpreting and applying the law to the issues which litigants, high and low, brought before them. They also highlight the role played by the Law Officers of the Crown in advancing legal institutions in Newfoundland, a role previously either undervalued or overlooked.