-

The development of Anglo-Saxon juris-prudenceCorey, Chester Authurhttps://iro.uiowa.edu/discovery/delivery/01IOWA_INST:ResearchRepository/12730602250002771?l#13730805260002771

Corey. (1912). The development of Anglo-Saxon juris-prudence [University of Iowa].https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.rywiigjn

Downloaded on 2022/07/06 04:15:02 -0500Material in the public domain. No restrictions on use.PDM V1.0https://iro.uiowa.edu

-

THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANGLO-SAXON JURISPRUDENCE.

The pu rpo se o f t h i s th e s is i s to p o in t o u t th e d e v e l­

opment o f A n g lo -S a xo n ju r is p ru d e n c e fro m th e m ig r a t io n o f th e

A n g le s and Saxons down to 1066. The la w as s e t o u t h e re has

been g a th e re d fro m c o s tu m a ls , c h r o n ic le s and c h a r te r s , w h ic h

a lth o u g h fra g m e n ta ry , c o n ta in d a ta s u f f i c i e n t to make th e gen­

e r a l le g a l p r in c ip le s c le a r and g iv e to th e s tu d e n t m a te r ia l

enough f o r th e p u rpo ses o f h i s t o r i c a l in q u i r y .

The T e u to n ic o c c u p a t io n o f B r i t a i n was a m ig r a t io n o f

f o l k t h a t came fro m a s e t t le d c o u n try , where men l i v e d i n com­

m u n it ie s . ( 1 ) . So th e A n g le -S a xo n in E ng la nd m ust have s ta r te d

w i t h th e same am ount o f o r g a n iz a t io n th a t he possessed on th e

c o n t in e n t . ( 2 ) . A c c o rd in g ly th e A n g lo -S a xo n had q u i t th e pas­

t o r a l l i f e f o r l i f e in f ix e d s e a ts o r co m m u n itie s o rg a n iz e d

in t o e n t i t i e s hound to - g e th e r b y th e t i e s o f k in d r e d . ( 3 ) . The

A n g le s and Saxons, and J u te s lo o k in g upon th e m se lve s as one

p e o p le e s ta b l is h e d a fo rm o f governm en t l i k e t h a t w h ich th e y

knew w h ile on th e c o n t in e n t . ( 4 ) .

1 . THE ADMINISTRATION.

The w ho le g e n e ra l a d m in is t r a t iv e m a c h in e ry d e ve lo p e d in

a c o n tin u o u s and perm anent fa s h io n so as to f u l f i l th e needs o f

th e f o l k i n p r e s e r v a t io n o f m o ra ls and th e a d m in is t r a t io n o f

j u s t i c e . N a tu ra l d iv is io n s o f f a m i ly and k in made way f o r

a r t i f i c i a l u n i t s known as th e " t u n " , Ms c i r " , "h u n d re d " , and

n a t io n . A v ie w o f th e se a d m in is t r a t iv e b o d ie s w i th t h e i r o r ­

g a n iz a t io n and fu n c t io n s i s n e c e s s a ry to an u n d e rs ta n d in g o f

th e c u s to m a ls and w i l l d e m o n s tra te th e fo rm o f A n g lo -S a xo n

g o ve rn m e n t. B e fo re p ro c e e d in g w i th th e la w , th e in s tru m e n ts

b y w h ich th e la w s were made and e x e c u te d w i l l be d e s c r ib e d in

th e p re s e n t c h a p te r w h ich t r e a t s o f th e f a m i ly , h u n d re d , " s c i r K

and n a t io n ,a n d o f th e a d m in is t r a t iv e o f f i c e r s o f th e la n d .

2 . THE FAMILY.

The e a r l i e s t f i s c a l u n i t i n th e T e u to n ic s ta te was th e

f a m i ly , w h ich i n o r g a n iz a t io n was fo rm e d o f a num ber o f i n d iv -

d u a ls t r e a te d as a c o l le c t iv e e n t i t y . I t fo rm ed a co m p le te

body d i s t i n c t fro m th e in d iv id u a l members. ( 5 ) . The c o rp o ra te

n a tu re o f t h i s body w h ich was possessed o f p r o p e r ty r i g h t s ,

p o l ic e and j u r i d i c i a l powers was re c o g n iz e d a t an e a r ly d a te

when th e la w s made p r o v is io n s f o r a d m is s io n in t o th e fa m i ly so

t h a t s t ra n g e rs and men w ith o u t a f a m i ly c o u ld be co n n e c te d w ith

th e fa m i ly and p a r ta k e o f i t s s o c ia l , econom ic and j u d i c i a l

p r iv i l e g e s . ( 6 ) . T h is id e a o f c o rp o ra te e x is te n c e in th e

f a m i ly was c a r r ie d th ro u g h th e de ve lo p m en t o f th e k in , t r i b eI ' ■ , . .

and n a t io n . I n le g a l c o n te m p la t io n th e f a m i ly was a d e f i n i t e

body to w h ic h acce ss was d i f f i c u l t ; and i t c o u ld n o t be fo r s a k ­

en o r d is s o lv e d w ith o u t s p e c ia l r e n u n c ia t io n . ( 7 ) . M is c o n d u c t

on th e p a r t o f a member o f th e fa m i ly c o m p ris e d th e c o rp o ra te

e n t i t y and re n d e re d i t l i a b l e to th e in ju r e d f a m i ly . { 8 ) .

The a im o f th e fa m i ly was m u tu a l p r o te c t io n in th e m a in ­

ten a n ce o f n a t u r a l r i g h t s . ( 9 ) . A man’ s m a in s ta y f o r th e exac­

t i o n o f f in e s , th e sw e a rin g o f o a th s , p r o v is io n s in case o f

d e s t i t u t i o n , w a tc h in g o v e r h is o f f s p r in g a f t e r I t s dea th , was

i n h is f a t h e r 's f a m i ly . (1 0 ) . E ve ry p e rs o n m ale o r fe m a le I *

b e lo n g e d to th e p a te rn a l k in d re d . (1 1 ) . The f a m i ly and l a t e r

th e k in d r e d r e g u la te d p r o te c t io n o f th e in d iv id u a l i n re g a rd

to l i f e , r e s p o n s ib i l t y f o r m isd e e d s , p a r t i c ip a t io n in f a m i ly

a f f a i r s , w a rd s h ip and m a rr ia g e ,a n d la n d s e t t le m e n t . (1 2 ) .

C aesar n o te d t h a t la n d h o ld in g s in common w ere d iv id e d

a c c o rd in g to f a m i l ie s . (1 3 ) . The m a rk , a com m unity o f fa m i l ie s

c o n t r o l le d d e f i n i t e t r a c t s known as "m e a rc " la n d , w h i le p la c e

names th ro u g h o u t E ng land show th a t th e re were e a r ly s e t t le m e n ts

e f f e c te d on th e p r in c ip le o f a l lo tm e n t . ( 1 4 ) .

The head o f th e fa m i ly c o l le c t e d re ve n u e s and w en t to

c o u n c i l ; (1 5 ) he to o k up th e e n n i t ie s o f h is k in , th u s fo rm in g

th e n u c le u s o f a m i l i t a r y . ( 1 6 ) . W ith th e f a m i ly , th e n a tu r a l

s ta te o f th e f r e e and u n fre e e x is te d ; f o r th e re th e f a t h e r was

f r e e and th e w i fe and c h i ld r e n were u n fre e as to th e f a t h e r . (1 7 )

Through th e e m a n c ip a tio n o f th e son th e in d iv id u a l f a m i ly b e ­

came th e b a s is o f th e k in d re d . ( 1 8 ) . The son w en t f o r t h and

s e t up h is own in d iv id u a l h o u s e h o ld and th u s th e fa m i ly became

th e so u rc e o f th e k in d re d and th e n a t io n . ( 1 9 ) .

3 . THE HUNDRED.

The t y p ic a l A n g lo -S a xo n h u n d re d was a p o l i t i c a l o rg a n iz a ­

t i o n made up o f one h u n d re d ,o r one h u n d re d and e le v e n f a m i l ie s

f o r th e p u rpose o f g a th e r in g th e h o s t , c o l l e c t in g t r i b u t e and

a d m in is te r in g j u s t i c e . (2 0 ) . The id e a was to c e n t r a l iz e so­

c ie t y b y jo in in g th e fa m i ly heads i n a com m unity in an a r t i ­

f i c i a l u n i t . ( 2 1 ) .

The r e s p o n s ib i l t y o f th e h u n d re d was c o rp o ra te a c c o rd in g

to th e la w s o f A l f r e d , w h ich made th e h u n d re d l i a b l e f o r '

o n e - t h i r d o f th e "w e r" i n cases o f a g g ra v a te d c r im e . ( 2 2 ) . B u t

th e h u n d re d was a ls o a t e r r i t o r i a l u n i t c a lc u la te d a c c o rd in g

to th e heads o f th e f a m i l ie s . (2 3 ) . E ve ry man f o r le g a l p u r ­

poses was to be lo c a te d t e r r i t o r i a l l y so as to f u r t h e r p o l ic e

r e g u la t io n s and th e k e e p in g o f th e K in g 's peace . ( 2 4 ) . A

d o m ic i le was th u s p ro v id e d f o r e v e ry man i n th e h u n d re d so th a t

he c o u ld be p re s e n te d to th e c o u r t when a ccu se d . ( 2 5 ) . So th e

h u n d re d was n o th in g more th a n an a r t i f i c i a l u n i t ; a n d f i x e d

in d iv id u a ls i n a d o m ic i le so th a t ju s t i c e c o u ld be o b ta in e d

and th e K in g 's peace m a in ta in e d , E adgar m a d fth e h u n d re d r e s ­

p o n s ib le f o r c r im e s and b re a ch e s o f peace b y r e q u i r in g th e

h u n d re d man to r a is e th e hue and c r y a g a in s t w ro n g d o e rs . ( 2 6 ) .

The h u n d re d men were to do ju s t i c e to th e w ro n g d o e rs . I f th e

o f fe n d e r was a t h i e f , th e “ c e a p g e ld " was p a id to th e ow ner o f

th e c a t t l e and th e r e s t was d iv id e d in t o two p a r t s , one h a l f

to th e h u n d re d and one h a l f to th e lo r d , He who n e g le c te d th e

peace was f in e d 30 pence f o r th e f i r s t o f fe n c e ; 60 pence f o r

th e second and one h a l f o f a l l he po ssessed f o r th e t h i r d o f ­

fe n c e ; w h i le i f he p e r s is te d i n c o n n iv in g a t e v i l d o in g , he

f o r f e i t e d a l l t h a t he had and became an o u t la w . (2 7 ) .

The p r e s id in g o f f i c e r was th e h u n d re d man whose d u ty i t

was to summon th e h u nd re d 11 m o t" , hue and c r y , and th e " s c l r mot*.'

The e a r ly h u n d re d man was e le c te d , b u t i n th e l a t e r p e r io d the

fe u d a l e le m e n t c o n t r o l le d and he was a p p o in te d b y th e n o b le to

whom th e h u n d re d b e lo n g e d . (2 8 ) .

4 . THE SHIRE.

The e a r ly s h ir e has been d e s c r ib e d as a u n io n o f two o r

more "m e a rcs " f o r r e l ig io u s and p o l i t i c a l p u rp o s e s , ( 2 9 ) , w h i le

a c c o rd in g to S tu b b s , th e s h ir e was a c lu s t e r o f h u n d re d s . ( 3 0 ) .

The s h ir e became a d e f in i t e t e r r i t o r i a l d i v i s io n w i th p a r is h e s ,

h a m le ts , l i b e r t ie s , w h e r e in "b o rh " a tid “ f r i t h " were e s ta b l is h e d

b y th e w ita n to h o ld men in th e same r e s t r i c t i o n s and re s p o n s i­

b i l i t i e s t h a t had ISSshd^ them to th e n a tu r a l f a m i ly u n i t . (3 1 ) .

The o f f i c e r s in th e s c i r were th e E a ldo rm an , (3 2 ) , th e

re e v e , and th e b is h o p . D u r in g peace, th e E a ld o rm a n f^^h e re e v eA,h e ld c o u r t in th e " s c i r m o t" , th e head o f th e lo c a l j u d i c i a l

system o f w h ic h th e "m earc m o t" was th e fo u n d a t io n . ( 3 3 ) . I n

t im e o f w a r, th e sc irm e n w en t to th e h o s t u n d e r^E a ld o rm a n . (3 4 ) .

The E a ldo rm an and b is h o p to g e th e r re p re s e n te d th e s c i r i n th e

w ita n , w h i le th e re e ve re p re s e n te d th e w ita n and th e k in g in

th e s h ir e as th e a d m in is t r a t iv e o f f i c e r who e x e c u te d ju s t i c e

and s e cu re d th e r i g h t s o f th e k in g . (3 5 ) . The c o u n s e l lo rs o f

th e s c i r were th e freem en who d e c la re d th e r e p o r t o f th e s h i r e .

The ju d g e s w ere th e f o l k assem bled in th e " m o t" .

5 . THE NATION.

The u n io n o f s c i r s was th e n a t io n . A t i t s head was th e

K in g who a p pea red as th e r e p r e s e n ta t iv e o f th e u n i t y o f th e

ra c e . The c h ie f e x e c u t iv e power was th e n a t io n a l c o u n c i l , th e

"w ite n a g e m o t" , a body made up o f lo r d s e c c le s ia s t ic a l and

s e c u la r . Each o f th e seven e a r ly k ingdom s had i t s " w ite n a

g e m o t" . The n a t io n a l c o u n c i l d id n o t have i t s r i s e u n t i l

Wessex annexed th e o th e r k ing dom s. (3 6 ) . The f i r s t exam ple o f

n a t io n a l u n i t y was s e t by th e c h u rc h in i t s e c c le s ia s t ic a l coun­

c i l p e r fe c te d b y Theodore o f T a rs u s .

6 . THE WITENA - GEMOT OH NATIONAL COUNCIL.

The w ite n a gem ot, w h ic h appea rs as " m ic e l g e m o t " " l ic gem­

o t " , Was a deve lop m en t o f the C o u n c il o f th e N a t io n as d e s c r ib ­

ed i n T a c i tu s . A t an e a r ly p e r io d i t was made up o f th e » f r e e ­

men o f th e N a t io n , b u t i n K in g I n i ' s t im e i t had become r e p re ­

s e n ta t iv e and was made up o f a rc h -b is h o p s , b is h o p s and a b b o ts ,

p r ie s t s and deacons, s h e r i f f s and e a ld o rm e n . I n t r u t h i t was

a c o u n c i l o f th e lo r d s e c c le s ia s t ic a l and lo r d s s e c u la r . ( 4 3 ) .

The pow ers o f th e w ite n a gem ot were numerous a c c o rd in g

to th e a u th e n t ic re c o rd s d a t in g fro m A e th e lb e r t 's r e ig n in

596 » 605 to Eadw ard. (4 4 ) . The w isemen c o n s id e re d e v e ry

p u b l ic a c t w h ic h c o u ld be a u th o r iz e d b y th e K in g . They d e l ib e r

a te d upon new la w s to be added to th e " f e l c r i h t " . ( 4 5 ) . D u r in g

w a r, th e y p e r fe c te d a l l ia n c e s and a t th e end o f th e w a r, th e y

co n d u c te d peace t r e a t ie s .

The K in g s f a t e la y in t h e i r c o n t r o l , f o r th e y n o t o n ly

e le c te d th e K in g , b u t th e y deposed h im when he u su rp e d to o

much pow er. ( 4 6 ) .

A c c o rd in g to C a n u te 's la w th e y a p p o in te d p r e la te s to va ­

c a n t sees and le v ie d ta x e s f o r s e c u la r and e c c le s ia s t ic a l

i n s t i t u t i o n s . ( 4 7 ) . I n j u d i c i a l c a p a c ity th e y c o n v e r te d boc

la n d in t o f o l c la n d and v ic a - v e r s a ; a d ju d g e d la n d s f o r f e i t e d

to th e K in g ; and s a t as supreme c o u r t i n a l l c i v i l and c r im in a l

ca se s . ( 4 8 ) .

The c h ie f powers r e ta in e d were l e g i s l a t i v e and j u d i c i a l ,

w h i le a l l e x e c u t iv e power c e n tre d i n th e K in g and th e f i s c a l

o f f i c e r s o f th e a d m in is t r a t io n . The t r in e d a n e c e s s ita s and

r e n ts o f th e p u b l ic la n d s were ch a rg e d b y th e w ite n a gemot

f o r p u b l ic expenses. L a te r th e w ite n a possessed e x t r a ­

o r d in a r y ta x in g power as e v id e n c e d b y im p o s in g D anege ld and

s h ip g e ld . So two s h i l l i n g s on e v e ry h id e r a is e d th e

D anege ld , w h i le a c o n t r ib u t io n o r a s h ip and equ ipm en t was l e v i ­

ed upon a s c i r . (4 9 '). I n A e th e lr e d 's t im e th e g r e a te s t power

l o s t was th e c o n t r o l o f th e p u b l ic la n d s ^ w h ic h came to be in

th e K in g b y th e f i c t i o n t h a t a l l la n d s w ere i n th e r o y a l

p r e r o g a t iv e . (5 0 ) .

The a c ts o f th e w ita n were a s e r ie s o f t r e a t ie s o f peace

be tw een a l l th e a s s o c ia t io n s , s e c u la r and e c c le s ia s t i c a l , t h a t

made up th e s ta t e . (5 1 ) .

7 . OFFICERS IN THE ANGLO-SAXON ADMINISTRATION.

The K in g : - The f i r s t s o v e re ig n r u le r o f th e A n g lo -S a xo n s

was o r e tw a ld a , t r e a te d b y Bede as a w ar c h ie f , b u t nouTbelieved

n o t to have been e le c te d g e n e ra lis s im o o f th e Saxons. (5 2 ) •

C e rd r ic o f Wessex who came up to th e le a d e r s h ip i n 579 A .D .

was th e f i r s t A n g lo -S a xo n r u le r to whom th e te rm K in g was a p p l ie

ea (5 3 ) , b u t b y th e se ve n th c e n tu ry th e w ord K in g was u se d r e ­

p e a te d ly i n th e la w s to d e s ig n a te th e head o f th e r a c e . (5 4 ) .

D u r in g th e p e r io d ra n g in g fro m th e s ix t h to th e e le v e n th

c e n tu ry th e K in g s p r e ro g a t iv e grew and w idened so th a t many

r e g a l ia were in th e crow n . The id e a th a t^ p e a c e o f th e n a t io n

w a s tth e K in g 's peace a r o s ^ in I n i ' s r e ig n and has p e r s is te d to

t h i s da y . As c o n s e rv a to r o f th e peace , th e K in g c a l le d th e

army i n t im e o f w a r; he m a in ta in e d th e peace o f th e h ig h ro a d s

o f commerce b y th e use o f gu a rd s p la c e d in each d i s t r i c t and

a lo n g th e c o a s ts . (5 5 ) .

The K in g 's pe rso n and e s ta te s w ere p r o te c te d in h is

p r iv a t e “ g r i t h " o r peace w h ich ex te n d e d th re e m i le s , th re e

fu r lo n g s , th re e a c re s , n in e f e e t and n in e b a r le y c o rn s each

d i r e c t io n fro m h is " h u s " . (5 6 ) . Anyone who f l e d to t h i s " g r i t h

was a llo w e d n in e days g ra c e . (5 7 ) . He who b ro k e th e K in g 's

h a l l was l i a b l e to any doom w h ic h th e K in g m ig h t d e c re e . ( 5 9 ) .

M u rde r i n th e K in g 's “ tu n " made th e o f fe n d e r l i a b l e to f i n e

w h ich was p a y a b le to th e K in g . ( 6 0 ) .

The la w m aking tre a s o n a c a p i t a l o f fe n s e (6 1 ) shows a

d i s t i n c t d e ve lo p m e n t, f o r th e K in g had a n c ie n t ly a money v a lu e ;

th e "w e r" w h ic h was p e rs o n a l and i n h is k in d r e d , and th e

“ c y n e b o t" th e p r ic e o f r o y a l t y , w h ich was i n th e f o l k . ( 6 2 ) .

The K in g was l i a b l e f o r th e o f fe n s e s o f h is s e rv a n ts .

I f h is c a rp e n te r o r c o u r ie r s le w a man, he p a id o n e - h a lf th e

" w e r " . ( 6 3 ) . I n t u r n , h is s e rv a n ts w ere h is and i n j u r i e s to them

in c u r r e d f in e s w h ic h were p a y a b le to th e crow n . So A e th e lb e r t

and h is w ita n d e c re e d t h a t anyone who s le p t w i th th e K in g 's

m a iden s h o u ld make 50 s c . “ b o t s " . ( 6 4 ) . I f she w ere a mere

g r in d in g s la v e “ b o t " was o n ly 25 s c . ; b u t i f she were t h i r d

c la s s th e n " b o t " was 12 s c . (6 5 ) .

The K in g ’ s pe rm anen t fu n c t io n s were p r i e s t l y and j u d i c i a l ,

w h i le th e m i l i t a r y was te m p o ra ry . ( 6 6 ) . He c a l le d th e assem bly

o f th e w ite n a gem ot and s a t a t i t s head where he recommended

g ra v e ca u se s . (6 7 ) . In j u d i c i a l c a p a c ity he s a t as supreme

ljudge o v e r a l l s u b s id ia r y c o u r ts . ( 6 8 ) . A f t e r th e p e o p le has

e x e rc is e d th e cus to m ary la w s th e y c a l le d upon th e K in g to exe­

c u te t h e i r ju d g m e n ts . W henever th e la w p ro o ve d to o h e a v y , a

s u b je c t c o u ld seek m i t ig a t io n o f i t fro m th e K in g . ( 6 9 ) .

U lt im a te a p p e l la te j u r i s d i c t i o n was i n th e K in g , b u t no one was

to c a l l upon th e K in g b e fo re he e x h a u s te d th e power o f th e lo w e r

c o u r ts . ( 7 0 ) . Pardon o f th e o f fe n d e rs was i n th e r o y a l p re ro ­

g a t iv e . ( 7 1 ) .

The la w s d e c la re th e K in g to be th e g u a rd ia n o f th e i 1; *

s t r a n g e r . ( 7 2 ) . So when a s t ra n g e r was s la in , th e K in g had tw o -

t h i r d s o f th e “ w e r " ; th e son o r r e la t i v e s o f th e s la in th e o th e r

t h i r d ; b u t i f th e re were no r e la t i v e s , t h e K in g had h a l f and th e

l o r d h a l f . ( 7 3 ) . Eadward th e C o n fe s s o r 's la w e x p re s s ly s ta te s

th a t th e K in g was th e g u a rd ia n o f th e Jew. (7 4 ) .

An im p o r ta n t r e g a l ia in th e crown was th e c o in a g e and the

f i x i n g o f w e ig h ts and m easures. E adgar c a l le d i n th e o ld and

is s u e d a new c o in a g e in 975. ( 7 5 ) . A e th e lre d s t r i c t l y e n jo in e d

o th e r m oneyers b e s id e th e K in g ; th e re was to be b u t one m oneyer

and b u t one money to pass th ro u g h th e K ingdom , one m easure and

one w e ig h t . ( 7 6 ) .

The so u rce o f re venu e ^rere v o lu n ta r y g i f t s , a sh a re o f

b o o ty g a in e d i n w a r, f in e s fro m o f fe n d e r s , f o r f e i t e d la n d s and

t re a s u re t r o v e . ( 7 7 ) . The v o lu n ta r y g i f t s were l a t e r e x a c te d

as r e g u la r ta x e s . (7 8 ) .

The e a r ly K in g was one o f th e p e o p le , h is la n d s w ere

p r iv a t e b u t b y C n u t’ s t im e , th e K in g was b y a p u re f i c t i o n

owner o f a l l p u b l ic la n d s . (7 9 ) . A e l f r e d and C nut in c re a s e d

th e num ber o f r o y a l v a s s a ls and by so d o in g augm ented th e

pow er o f r o y a l and n o b le j u r i s d i c t i o n . G nut a rra n g e d th e

K ingdom u n d e r f o f i r la n d e d e a r ls who b y new in v e s t i t u r e

t r a n s m it te d t h e i r a u t h o r i t y to t h e i r c h i ld r e n and b y sub­

in fe u d a t io n r e a l l y h e ld i n fe u d a l te n u re . ( 8 0 ) . A n o th e r

u s u rp a t io n o f a u t h o r i t y t h a t in c re a s e d th e K in g 's p r e r o g a t iv e

was C n u t 's p r a c t is e o f c a l l i n g up s u i t s b y c e r t i o r a r i w h ich

had n o t e xh a u s te d th e j u d i c i a l power o f th e lo w e r c o u r t s . (8 1 ) .

Such a ssu m p tio n s o f power show a te n d e n cy to w a fd o v e r cen­

t r a l i z a t i o n i n th e c row n .

8 . THE EALDORMAN.

The d ig n i t a r y n e x t in o rd e r to th e K in g i n th e A n g lo -

Saxon a d m in is t r a t io n was th e ea ldo rm an who a c te d as th e p r in ­

c ip a l j u d i c i a l and e x e c u t iv e o f f i c e r i n a “ s c i r " , ( 8 2 ) . The

o f f i c e was a p p o in t iv e f o r a l i f e p e r io d th ro u g h o u t m ost o f th e

A n g lo -S a xo n p e r io d , b u t i n C n u t 's t im e th e o f f i c e te n d e d to

become h e r e d i t a r y . ( 8 3 ) . The p la c in g o f e a r ls o v e r s e v e ra l

c o u n t ie s s u b o rd in a te d th e ea ldo rm an and le s s e n e d th e d ig n i t y

o f h is o f f i c e .

The e a ld o rm a n *s d u t ie s were to h o ld " s c i r m ot" sem i­

a n n u a l ly w here he and th e b is h o p s expounded b o th th e la w

o f God and o f man. (8 4 ) . I n t e r n a l r e g u la t io n s and th e fu n ­

c t io n s o f th e h ig h p o l ic e were i n t h i s o f f c ie as w e l l as th e

g u id a n c e and th e s u p e rv is io n o f a l l p o l ic e a d m in is t r a t io n .

( 8 5 ) . I n c o u r t th e ea ldorm an possessed f u l l power o f p le a *

and p ro c e e d in g to e x e c u t io n i n c i v i l and c r im in a l ca se s . ( 8 6 ) .

U nder A e th e lre d r th e E a ld o rm a n 's house was made a s a n c tu a ry

and any w ron g d oe r who f l e d to i t had th re e days o f r e s p i t e . (8 7 ) .

I f th e peace was b ro k e n th e re th e o f fe n d e r p a id a f i n e to th e

ow n er. ( 8 8 ) . The ea ldorm an was adm onished to d e a l s q u a re ly o r

la y h im s e l f l i a b l e to a u t h o r i t y ; he was to e x e c u te th e la w o r

lo s e h is o f f i c e . (8 9 ) .

9 . THE GEREFA.

The g e r i f a o r summoner, th e common A n g lo -S a xo n named

f o r an a d m in is t r a t iv e and e x e c u t iv e o f f i c e r , appea red in a l l

c o u r ts i n v a r io u s degrees o f im p o rta n c e . ( 9 0 ) . The " cynega

g e re fa " a d m in is te re d sac and soc i n th e K in g 's p r iv a t e la n d s and

s a t i n th e a p p e l la te c o u r t , )9 1 ) , th e " w iv - g e r e fa " was th e w ard

o f a m anor; th e " t u n g e re fa " was re e v e o f tu n , v i l l o r fa rm .

(9 2 ) . B u t th e t y p ic a l re e v e as t r e a te d in th e la w s was th e

" s c i r g e r e fa " , th e head o f th e “ s c i r gemot**, th e c o u n ty c o u r t o r

**f o le m o t" . ( 9 3 ) .

The r e e v e 's d u t ie s were m a ifc ifo ld . As ju d g e i n doom and

s u i t , th e re e v e was o rd e re d to ju d g e r ig h t e o u s ly , to f e a r n o t

to p ronouce f o l c r i g h t , and to have a te rm f o r e v e ry s u i t . (9 4 }

E ve ry re e v e h e ld c o u r t once i n f o u r weeks so t h a t a l l c o u ld

have ju s t i c e . ( 9 6 ) . So th e re e v e had a sh a re o f th e e x e c u t iv e

p r e r o g a t iv e . ( 9 7 ) . He e xe cu te d a l l e x a c tm e n ts , (9 8 ) . and th e

a b b o ts on s e c u la r o c c a s io n s were u n d e r h is p r o te c t io n . (9 9 ) . I n

h is e x e c u t iv e c a p a c ity he to o k co g n iza n ce o f th e cu s to m a ry law s

as expounded b y th e f o l c in c o u n c i l . (1 0 0 ) . As p r in c ip a l

f i s c a l o f f i c e r th e re e v e le v ie d f in e s and c o l le c t e d ta x e s and

h e r io t s , and s e iz e d f o r f e i t e d la n d s . (1 1 ) . D u r in g A e l t h e ls t a n 's

r e ig n th e re e v e c o l le c te d b h u rch dues ; l a t e r E ad g a r, C nut and

A e th e lre d gave th e re e ve power to le v y f in e s and i n f l i c t a heavy

p e n a lty f o r r e f u s a l to pay . (1 1 2 ) . The “ s c i r g e re fa " as summon­

e r n o t o n ly a c te d as ju d g e /b u t he was a ju rym a n o r w itn e s s o f

a l l b a rg a in s and s a le s o f c a t t l e so t h a t he c o u ld w a r ra n t them .

A e th e ls ta n d e c re e d , IJ l e t no man exchange any p r o p e r ty w i th o u t

th e w itn e s s o f th e re e v e ." (1 1 3 ) . So Eadmund d e c la re d th e la w

to be t h a t no one s h o u ld b a rg a in f o r and buy s tra n g e c a t t l e w ith

o u t th e w itn e s s o f th e re e v e . (1 1 4 ) . Heavy p e n a l t ie s bound th e

re e v e to p e rfo rm a n ce o f th e s e d u t ie s . Removal fro m o f f i c e and

th e paym ent o f f in e s f o l lo w d is o b e d ie n c e . (1 1 5 ) . The g e re fa

who c o n i^ tts d a t t h e f t o r a t th e escape o f a t h i e f was to f o r f e i t

a l l t h a t he h a d . (1 1 6 ) . S h ou ld he f a i l to judge f u l l y a c c o rd ­

in g to th e la w , a n o th e r re e v e to o k h is o f f i c e . (1 1 7 ) . The

o f f i c e was e le c t iv e in e a r ly t im e s , b u t f o l lo w in g th e r i s e o f

th e K in g 's R o y a lty and th e la n d e d lo r d s , i t became a p p o in t iv e

b y th e crow n o r th e l o r d who owned th e h u n d re d . (1 1 8 ) . F in e s ,

g i f t s , and e s ta te s were i n t h i s o f f i c e , and a sha re o f th e

b o o ty o b ta in e d w h i le le a d in g th e s c i r men i n th e " f j r r d “ s u p p o r t­

ed th e re e v e s h ip . (1 1 9 ) .

10 . ECCLESIASTICAL ADMINISTRATION.

The o r g a n iz a t io n o f th e ch u rc h g rew up s id e b y s id e w i th

th e s ta te a d m in is t r a t io n ; 1Js c irs '* became a rc h e a c o n r ie s ; th e

h u n d re d s , th e d e a n e r ie s o f a l a t e r age ; th e to w n s h ip was th e

sphere o f d u ty o f a s in g le p r ie s t ; th e K ingdom was th e d io c e s e

o f th e b is h o p . (1 2 0 ) . So Theodore o f T a rsu s b e s id e s u n i t i n g

E ng la n d in t o a s p i r i t u a l k ingdom , p la c e d a p r ie s t as re p re s e n ta ­

t i v e o f c h u rc h o r g a n iz a t io n i n e v e ry to w n s h ip o r b u n d le o f

to w n s h ip s . (1 2 1 ) .

The A n g lo -S a xo n s ta te re c o g n iz e d th e b is h o p as one o f i t s

o f f i c e r s (1 2 2 ) whose d u ty i t was to a s s is t in th e a d m in is t r a t io n

o f j u s t i c e , to g u a rd a g a in s t p e r ju r y , to s u p e r in te n d th e o rd e a l,

t o g u a rd a g a in s t f r a u d , and to a c t as c u s to d ia n o f m easures and

s ta n d a rd s . (1 2 3 ) . So when th e g e re fa c o u ld n o t do ju s t i c e and

m a in ta in peace i n h is j u r i s d i c t i o n , th e b is h o p was e s p e c ia l ly

commanded to e n fo rc e th e f in e s w h ich th e K in g and th e w ita n

had a p p o r t io n e d to th a t o f f i c e r . (1 2 4 ) . T h ro u g h o u t th e p re s e n t

th e s is more o f th e c o n c u r re n t a c t io n o f th e ch u rc h and th e s ta te

i n th e a d m in is t r a t io n o f ju s t i c e w i l l be n o te d .

1 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . pp 1 9 .

Domesday and Beyond. pp 222, 232.

V in o g r a d o f f , Eng. V i l la g e Com m unity. pp 1 1 8 -2 0 .

2 . S tubbs S e le c t C h a r te rs . pp 1 1 ,1 2 .

3 . S tubbs S e le c t C h a r te rs .

4 . R o p in V o l. 1- p .4 2 .

5 . M a in e , A n c ie n t Law. p 143.

6 . E n g l is h V i l la g e Communit y . p 137.

7 . E n g l is h V i l la g e Com m unity. p 140.

8 . Kem ble , Saxons in E ng la n d . V o l. 1 . p . 236.

9 . K em b le , Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l. 1 . p . 230.

1 0 .B e o w u lf, Eng. V i l la g e Com m unity. p . 136.

1 1 .E n g l is h V i l la g e Com m unity. p . 136.

1 2 .E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity. p . 137.

1 3 .Kem ble , Saxons in E ng la n d . V o l. 1 . p . 230.

1 4 .E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity. p . 140.

1 5 .Kem ble , Saxons i n E ng la nd . V o l . l . p . 235.

1 6 .K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. l . p . 2 3 1 .

1 7 .K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p . 170.

1 8 .Kem ble , Saxons in E ng la n d . V o l . l . p . 129 .

1 9 .K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p . 129.

2 0 .S tu b b s , C o n s t i t u t io n a l H is to r y . p . 107.

2 1 .K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. l . p . 2 3 8 .

2 2 .A l f r e d . p . 27 .

2 3 .Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . , P . 24 .

2 4 .C n u t. p . 11

2 5 .A e th e lre d . p . 1 .

2 6 .E adgar 11 , S upp lem ent 3 .

2 7 .E adgar H undred Law.

2 8 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . pp . 9.

29 . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . l . p . 7 2 .

30 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . p p . 9, 1 0 .

3 1 . I n i , 39 .

32 . I n i , 36 .

33 . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . l . p . 7 3 .

34 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs , PP* 10 .

35 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP* -0»

36 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . P P .IO , I I .

3 7 . H is t o r y E a r ly Eng. L i t . p . 193.

4 3 . Kemble V o l . 1 1 ,p . 200 P ream b le toI n i ' s Laws.

4 4 . A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n ic le . A .D . 1065.

4 5 . I n t r o d u c t io n to A e l f r e d 's Law.

4 6 . A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n ic le s , Anno 755

F lo re b c e o f W o rc e s te r. " 755

4 7 . C n u t.

4 8 . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . IV , p 2 0 0 -2 6 .

S tub bs S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP. I I , 13 .

4 9 . S tubbs S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP• 1 3 ,1 6 .

50 . S tu b bs S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP. 13.

5 1 . K em ble , V o l . 11 , p 184.

52 . K em ble , Saxons in E ng la n d . V o l. 11 , p 13 .

53 . H is to r y E a r ly E n g lis h L i t . p 104.

54 . Kem ble Saxons in E n g la nd . V o l . 11 , p 30 .

5 5 . K em ble , Saxons i n E n g la nd . V o l . 11 , p 32 .

56 . A e th e ls to n H , 5 .

5 7 . A e th e ls to n 4 .

5 8 . S e th e ls ta n 1 .

5 9 . i n i 6 , A l f r e d 7 .

60 . A e th e lb e r t 5 .

601. A l f r e d 4 .

62 . Saxons i n E ng land V o l . 1 1 , p . 30 .

63 . A e th e lb e r t 10 .

6 4 . A e t h e lb e r t . l f t .

6 5 . A e th e lb e r t 11 ,

66 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la u d . V o l . l , p 139.

67 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p 153.

6 8 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 11 , p 4 5 .

69 . E adgar 2 .

7 0 . S tu b b ’ s S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP. 1 ^ .

7 1 . I n i 6 , 36 ; A e th e ls ta n , 4 , 5 .

7 2 . A e th e ls ta n 14 ; E adw a rd ,12; C n u t, 40 .

7 3 . H lo th h a e re 23 .

7 4 . Eadward th e C o n fe s s o r ,25 .

7 5 . Kem ble Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 1 1 ,p . 6 8 ;«

7 6 . E ad g a r, S e c u la r . 8 .

7 7 . K em ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p 159.

7 8 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p 153.

7 9 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p 152.

8 0 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . p p . i 3 .

8 1 . S tu b b s , S e le c t C h a r te rs . PP. 13 .

82 . K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 11, p 139.

83 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 11 , p 146.

84 . C n u t, 18 .

85 . K em ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 11 , p 139.

86 . K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . 11 , p 137.

87 . A e th e lre d V I1 , 5 .

88 I n i , 6 , 4 5 ; A e l f r e d 3 .

89 . A e th e ls ta n 2 6 ; I n i , 36 .

9 1 . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 155.

92 . Saxons i n E ng la n d . V o l . I I , p 170.

93 . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 76

94 Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 153.

9 5 . Eadw ard, 1 .

96 . Eadward, 10 .

9 7 . A e th e ls ta n , 26 .

9 8 . A e th e lre d . V o l . I I .

9 9 . A e th e lr e d . V o l . IX , 32 .

1 1 0 .E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity. p 193.

111.S axons in E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 164.

1 1 2 .A e d g a r, 3 ; C nu t, 8 .

1 1 3 .A e th e ls ta n 2 .

114.Eadmund 5 .9- '

1 1 5 .E d d . l ; A e th e ls ta n ,2 0 ,2 2 .

1 1 6 .A e th e ls ta n 26 .

117.Eadm und, 1 .

1 1 8 .Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 165.

1 1 9 .Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 166.

1 2 0 .S tubbs S e le c t C h a r te rs . p p . 8 .

1 2 1 .S tubbs C o n s t. H is to r y . V o l . I , p 277.

1 2 2 .Kemble Saxons i n E n g la n d . V . I I , p 3 8 4 -5 .

1 2 3 .Kemble Saxons i n E n g la n d . V o l . I I , p 303.

1 2 4 .A e th e ls ta n . 26 .

THE LAW OF CRIME,TORTS, AND PROCEDURE.

The body o f th e A n g lo - Saxo# w h ic h co n ce rn d c r im e s and

t o r t s and th e p ro ce sse s o f th e la w in b r in g in g o f fe n d e rs to

j u s t i c e i s c o n s id e ra b le i n e x t e n t , in :, f a c t , i t co m p rise s m ost

o f th e known co s tu m a ls made by th e A n g lo -S a xo n k in g s and t h e i r

w ite n a -g e m o ts . T h is p a r t o f th e la w i s s i g n i f i c a n t because i t th ro w s

l i g h t upon th e c h a ra c te r o f th e o ld A n g lo - Saxon and p o r t r a y s h is

n a tu r a l g e n iu s f o r go ve rn m e n t.T h e c rim e s le g is la r e d a g a in s t we

know m ust have been comman enough to r e q u ir e l e g i s l a t i v e a t t e n t ­

io n . The v a r ie d fo rm and th e r a p id deve lopm en t o f th e la w make

c le a r th e s t r u g g le t h a t th e a u t h o r i t ie s had as th e y s e t a b o u t to

o rg a n iz e a s jjs te m o f la w u n d e r w h ic h men coutid be c o n s tra in e d to

keep th e pe ace . The p re s e n t c h a p te r , d e vo te d to th e la w o f c r im e s

and t o r t s to g e th e r w i t h th e law o f p ro c e d u re w i l l a id th e s tu d ­

e n t to an u n d e rs ta n d in g o f th e A n g lo -C a xo n in E n g la nd and th e con­

d i t i o n o f h is g o ve rn m e n t.

r I . THE BLOOD-FETTD.

The b lo o d - fe u d ,a c o r o l la r y o f t h r n a tu r a l r i g h t

to s e l f - p re s e rv a t io n ,w a s n o th in g le s s th a n th e r i g h t to wage

p r iv a t e w a r f a r e ; i t was th e r u le o f th e s t ro n g f i s t demanding r e ­

t r i b u t i o n f o r o rim e s and i n ju r ie s a g a in s t th e k in d r e d . in th e o ry ,

a c r im e was n o t a g ia n s t th e in d iv id u a l , b u t a g a in s t tb e k in d re d

o f th e in d iv id u a l .

W ith in th e k in d re d th e re was no f e u d , f o r th e e n t ­

i t y d id n o t p u n is h i t s e l f . T h e r e was no p r o v is io n i n custom f o r

th e p u n ishm e n t o f th e nan who s le w h is b r o th e r . T h is i s w e l l p o r ­

t ra y e d in B e a w u lf when H aatheyn by h is a rro w b ro u g h t down H re th -

e l ' s son .H e m issed th e t a r g e t and s h o t h is b r o t h e r . f I ) ."One

b r o th e r k i l l e d th e o th e r w i t h b lo o d y d a r t , t h a t was a w rong

p a s t a l l re d e m p tio n . Anyway and everyw ay i t was in e v i t a b le th a t

th e a e th e l in g m ust q u i t l i f e un a ven ged ".T h e f a t h e r 's g r i e f was

l ik e n e d to t h a t o f an o ld man who saw h is young son r id e on th e

g a llo w s t r e e , f o r c e d to d‘o n o th in g b u t w a i t w h i l r h is son became

fo o d f o r r a v e n s . ( 3 ) .The fa th e r c o u ld n o t r e q u i te th e fe u d th o ug h

th e s la in son was n e v e r so b e lo v e d by h im . ( 4 ) . The g ra n d so n s o f

O ngentheow in B e a w u lf 's p a te rn a l k in d re d had been o u t la w e d ,th e y

w ere "w raec-m aegas" (5 ) and th e y had c a s t o f f a l l r e la t io n s w i t h

th e S c y l f in g s . They came to H e a rd re d 's c o u r t and w h i le h is g \ ie s t ,

H e a rd re d was s la in by one o f th e m ,y e t th e s la y e r l e f t th e h a l l u n ­

avenged . (6 ) .M u rd e r w i t h in th e k in d re d le d to o u tla w ry .E a d m u n d .a

jp u rd e re r , f o r f e i t e d h is t r i b a l r ig h t s and W eohstan, a k insm an

c a r r ie d o f f h is a rm o r . (7 ) A l th u o u th o u tla w e d , th e o n ly vengeance

t h a t overcam e h im was " w y r d " . Avengem ent fo l lo w e d E adm und.bu t i t

came in th e open f i g h t . (8^ In a l l th e A n g lo -S a xo n th e re was no

p r o v is io n f o r th e fe u d a g a in s t th e m u rd e re r who s le w h is k insm an .

As l a t e as H en ry th e F i r s t , i t was en a c te d t h a t he who s lew h is

b r o th e r o r e i t h e r o f h is p a re n ts was to make penance w o r th y be­

fo r e G o d . i f th e k insm an o f th e dead man demanded, com p en sa tion o r

vengeance,w isem en w ere to compound th e ju d g m e n t. From such a la w

i t i s a p p a re n t t h a t th e h o m ic id e o f a k insm an was f r e e fro m ju d ­

i c i a l in te r fe r e n c e .T h e pu n ishm en t was s p i r i t u a l penance u n d e r an

e c c le s ia s t i c a l s p o n s o r ,e x c e p t when th e re was an arouwed and angered

k in t h a t demanded c o m p e n s a tio n .(9 )

E a r ly law s o r co s tu m a ls re g u la te d th e b lo o d fe u d .

B e g in n in g w i t h th e law s o f K in g i n i , th e re fo l lo w e d a lo n g s e r ie s

o f e n ac tm e n ts a t te m p t in g to c u rb p r iv a t e w a r fa re and e s ta b l is h

th e k in g ' peace .The fe n d was o n ly to be ta k e n to when compens­

a t io n o r ju s t i c e was d e n ie d by th e w ro n g d o in g k in .T h e r e a l p r in c ­

i p l e t h a t b ro u g h t a b o u t th e c o n t r o l o f th e fe u d was th e fa s te n in g

o f a l l r e s p o n s ib i l i t y f o r o rim e upon th e in d iv id u a l and th e con­

se q u e n t e m a n c ip a tio n o f th e k in d r e d . le g is la t io n d u r in g A l f r e d ’ s

t im e shows th e e n te r in g wedge o f th e im p e r ia l power i n i t s s t r u g g le

to b re a k down th e fe u d .s o th e man fo u g h t w i th o u t a p p e a lin g to th e

a u t h o r i t i e s in A l f r e d 's t im e was l i a b l e to se ve re p u n is h m e n t. (1 0 )

He who knew th a t h is fo e was a t home s i t t i n g was fo r b id d e n to f i g h t

b e fo re he had demanded j u s t i c e . I f th e a c c u s e r b e s ie g e d h is enemy,

he was to g iv e h im seven days b e fo re a t ta c k in g h im ; and sh o u ld th e

b e s ie g e d s u r re n d e r and g iv e up h is weapons a f t e r seven d a ys ,h e wws

to have t h i r t y days r e s p ite .S h o u ld th e fo e ta k e to a c h u rc h , he

was to have seven d a y s ,b u t i f th e a c c u s e r c o u ld n o t b e s ie g e th e fo e

t h e r e in , he c o u ld r id e to th e aa ldo rm an and ask a id o f h im . I f th e

ea ldo rm an re fu s e d to a id h im th e n he was to a p p e a l to th e k in g

b e fo re he fo u g h t.S o i f a man came i tp in h is fo e by s u r p r is e to f i n d

h im a t home and w i l l i n g to g iv e up h is w eapons,he was to be k e p t

s a fe f o r t h i r t y d a y s ,b u t i f he re fu s e d to g iv e up h is weapons, he

c o u ld be a tta c k e d .w h o e v e r a t ta c k e d th e fo e a f t e r he had d isa rm ed

h im s e l f was to pay nw e rn and w w ite " b e s id e s f o r f e i t i n g h is "m aeg-

s h ip ,T. ( I I ) Eadrmind en ac te d th a t "h e n c e fo tth . anyone who s la y s an

o th e r s h a l l b e a r th e fe u d h im s e l f u n le s s he make f u l l T,w e r w i t h in .

th e n e x t tw e lv e m o n th " . I f th e k in d re d w is h e d to fo rs a k e h im ,h e was

o u t o f fe u d as lo n g as no member o f th e k in s h o u ld fe e d and h a r ­

b o r h im . (1 2 ) F e r , th e p r ic e o f a man, was r e g u la r ly s u b s t i t u te d

f o r "blood, in a l l o f th e l a t e r la w s ."B u y o f f th e s p e a r o r "bear i t " ,

was a much used maxim in th e t im e o f Edward th e c o n fe s s o r .

i n s p i t e o f th e e f f o r t s to p u t down th e f e u d , i t p e r ­

s is t e d in E ng la nd u n t i l a l a t e d a y „n id ic a n ,K in g o f M enc ia ,m arched

in to th e p ro v in c e o f th e E a s t A n g le s to avenge th e death. o f - s e o r n -

w u l f . h i s p re d e c e s s o r . ( iS ) i u i l f , a n o b le th a n e ,w a s k i l l e d and he was

avenged by k insm en who k i l e d th e b is p o p and a l l o f h is a s s o c ia te s

t h a t had encompassed k u i l f ' s d e a th . ( i4 ) K in g w i l l ia m avenged th e

a t r o c io u s m u rde r o f th e se men by ra v a g in g u o r th u m b r ia th e same y e a r .

(1 5 ) As la t e as th e te n th c e n tu ry i t to o k th re e c o u n tie s to p u t

down a fe u d th a t was b e in g p ro s e c u te d by an an g ry k in d r e d . (1 6 '

2 . THE WERGILD.

The w e r g i ld , t h e p r ic e o f b lo o d ,a n i n s t i t u t i o n w h ic h

a im ed to e s ta b l is h s o c ie ty a t th e le a s t p o s s ib le s a c r i f i c e o f in d ­

i v i d u a l f re e d o m ,is o ld in th e T e u to n ic ra c e . ("17} T h is i n s t i t u t i o n

s e rc e d to s e t t l e d is p u te s when th e p e rso n s w ere d is p o s e d to s e t t le

by th e paym ent o f c o m p o s it io n .B y i n i ' s t im e , th e fe u d was n o t to be

p u rsu e d i f th e money w ere fo r th c o m in g . The e a r ly la w shows a f in e sea

le o f co m p e n sa tio n f o r a l l c rim e s and t o r t s , f o r t h e n , in le g a l con ­

te m p la t io n , c rim e s w ere c i v i l i n j u r i e s and th e id e a was to make com­

p e n s a t io n to th e in ju r e d k i n . (1 8 ^Every man w h e th e r o f h ig h o r low

degree had h is p r ic e w h ich was p a y a b le to h is p a r te r n a l k in d re d .B n ^

i t seems t h a t th e w rongd oer was fro m th e f i r s t a p u b l ic enemy;when

he in ju re d , th e k in ,h e in ju r e d a p a r t o f th e p u b l i c * a f t e r th e r i s e o f

th e K in g 's peace , th e o f fe n d e r in ju r e d a l l f e e l u b i i c ‘

The p ro c e d u re in th e paym ent o f "w e r v a r ie d , in th e d i f f e r e n t

k in g d o m s . K in g A l f r e d o rd a in e d t h a t th e s la y e r s h o u ld pay p le d g e

and man money to th e p a te rn a l k in d re d in e ig h t p a r ts and to th e

m a te rn a l k in d r e d ' in fo u r p a r t s . When t h i s was d o n e ,th e k in g 's p r o ­

t e c t io n was e s ta b l is h e d and a l l o f e i t h e r k in d r e d 's r e p re s e n t ­

a t iv e s , w i t h t h e i r hands i n common on one weapon engaged to th e*

m e d ia to r t h a t th e p r o te c t io n s h o u ld s ta n d .T w e n ty one days l a t e r

70 s e i l l i p g s w ere due as p i l l o r y f i n e ; i n a n o th e r tw e n ty lo n e da ys ,

"m a n -b o t" was due; tw e n ty one days l a t e r th e f i g h t " w i t e " was

p a id ,a n d i n tw e n ty one days more th e f i r s t paym ent o f th e "w e r"

Was m ade.Then a f t e r a l l th e paym ents had been m ade ,e ve ry one was

to d e p a r t i n peace i f he d e s ire d f u l l f r i e n d s h ip . f 19 }

D u r in g Eadm und's r e ig n , th e payment o f "w e r" was made v o lu n ta r y

on th e p a r t d f th e k in d re d in o rd e r to a v o id " m a n ifo ld f i g h t i n g s " .

The k in d re d was p e rm it te d to d isow n th e o f fe n d e r and th u s f r e e

i t s e l f fro m th e fe u d .S o Eadmund o # d a in e d , " i f anyone h e n o e fo t th

s la y any m a n , le t h im b e a r th e fe u d u n le s s w i t h th e a id o f h is

f r ie n d s ,h e c o m p e n s a te s 'w ith th e f u l l "w e r " ,b e he b o rn as he may” .

" I f h is m aegth fo rs a k e h im and w i l l n o t pay f o r h im , th e n I w i l l

t h a t a l l th e k in d re d be f r e e fro m th e f e u d , i f a f te rw a rd s th e y do n o t

g iv e th e c u l p r i t fo o d and p r o t e c t io n . f 2 o ) in W essex, th e p i l l o r y

f i n e was f i r s t to be p a id to th e f a t h e r o r so n , o r b r o th e r , o r

w hoever was n e a re s t o f k in to th e fa th e r .O n th e tw e n ty f i r s t day

a f t e r t h a t "m a n -b o t "was p a id ; tw e n ty one days l a t e r , th e f i g h t w i te

was p a id .T h e n came th e f i r s t paym ent o f th e " w e r " , w h ic h was p a id o u t

in r e g u la r th re e week te rm s . F o llo w in g th e s e paym ents, th e k in o f th e

dead man f i x e d a te rm f o t th e d e l iv e r y o f 4o sheep re cko n e d a t 2 r

s c i l l i n g s . A t th e l a s t te rm a h o rs e was to be g iv e n . ( 2 o ) I n re s p e c t

to w e r g i ld , th e w i fe be long ed to h e r own k in d re d , foi? h e r k in d re d

p & id w e r f o r h e r h o m ic id e s ,w h ile in case o f th e w i f e 's m u rd e r,

h e r "w e r” w en t to h e r p a te rn a l k in d r e d * ( 2 2 ) .

The s t r e n g th o f th e w e r g i ld sys tem is seen in i t s

in f lu e n c e on th e ch u rch .T h e e c c le s ia s ts s t r u g g le d a g a in s t s e c u la r

custom f o r a t im e ,b u t a c c o rd in g to E g b e r t 's d ia lo g u e s i t adop ted

th e S3'stem o f ra nked and g ra de d c o m p e n s a tio n .B is h o p s w ere ran ked

w i th p r in c e s ; p r ie s t s w i t h th a ne s*A sys tem o f co m p u rg a tio n and g ra d ­

a t io n o f o a th e s was a d o p te d ,a n d even th o u g h opposed to th e s o l i d ­

a r i t y and j o i n t r e s p o n s ib i l i t y o f t h e k in d r e d , th e ch u rch s u b m itte d

to th e system o f p la c in g money v a lu e s on e c c le s ia s t ic a l , , r a n k s .(2 3 ^ .

3 . HOMICIDE.

H o m ic id e ,th e p r im a l e ld e s t c rim e ,w a s le g is la t e d

a g a in s t e a r ly ,a n d th ro u g h o u t th e A ng lo -S axon p e r io d , th e la w shows

a d i s t i n c t deve lopm en t as th e " ite n a -g e m o t added p r o v is io n a f t e r

p r o v is io n to th e body o f law in i t s e f f o r t to c o n t r o l h o m ic id e .

B e fo re th e e ig h t t h c e n tu ry the o n ly pu n ish m en ts

w e re dea th in th e fe u d o r com pen sa tion to th e in ju r e d k in d re d .

"W er" was th e p r io e p a id f o r a ansm a c c o rd in g to h is s o c ia l s ta n d ­

in g * i f any one w i t h a fo l lo w in g s le w an u n o ffe n d in g m a n ,th e s la y e r

p a id "w e r"a s w e l la s " w ite " ,a n d e ve ry man in th e p a r ty p a i d ' t h i r t y

s c i l i i n g e . ( 2 4 h .s h o u ld t h e s la in be a s i x - hynde m a n ,eve ry fo l lo w e r

p a id s ix t y s c i l l i n g s and th e s la y e r p a id f u l l ,Tw e r 'T. (25^ . i f th e

s la in w ere a tw e lv e -h y n d e m an,each f o l lo w e r p a id one hundred and

tw e n ty s c i l l i n g s and th e s la j 'e r p a id f u l l ftwer*T. ( 2 6 .

H o m ic id e was a g g ra v a te d when done in th e k in g 's p re se n ce o r in

b re a c h o f h is p e a c e .(2 7 ) The t a k in g o f l i f e by p o is o n o r w i t c h ­

c r a f t was p u n is h a b le by d e a th . ( 2 8 )So hom i c id e w i t h in th e c h u rc h

w a l ls was " b o t le s s " u n le s s th e k in g g ra n te d l i f e in l i e u o f f u l l

" w e r " . 89 )

^he p u n ishm en t v a r ie d w i t h ra n k n o f th e m u rd e re r . The

owner o f th e s la v e who s le w a man o f an e a r l 's deg ree p a id 300

s c i l l i n g s and gave up th e s la v e . (3 0 ) I f th e s la in was a freem an

th e ow ner p a id o n ly lo o s c i l l i n g s and gave up th e s la v e . (3 1 )

S hou ld th e s la y e r e s c a p e ,th e owner was o b l ig e d to pay two w e r­

g i ld s f o r th e s la v e and p ro ve by com purga to rs th a t he c o u ld n o t

o b ta in th e s la y e r . ¡3 2 ) The k in le s s man who m urde red was p a id f o r

i n one h a l f "w e r" by h is g u i ld b r o th e r s , and foi? th e o th e r h a l f

he was to f l e e . (3 3 ) I f th e k in le s s man was, m u rde red ,on e h a l f h is

"w e r" w e n t to h is g u i ld b ro th e rs and one h a l f to th e k i n g . (3 4 )

I f a man s t r u c k h is s la v e and th e s la v e l i v e d th r e e n ig h ts s th e

owner was n o t g u i l t y o f murd e r f o r th e s la v e was h is own p ro p ­

e r t y , b u t i f th e s la v e d ie d th e same day , th e owner was g u i l t y o f

m u rd e r . ( 3 5 )W hoever o f freem en t h a t k i l l e d a p r ie s t ,d e a c o n ,o r

mank d id penance a c c o rd in g to a c o n s t i tu te d s c a le o f p e n i t e n t -

i a l s and p a id th e dead e c c le s ia s t 's p r ic e to th e c h u rc h . (3 6 )

H o m ic id e was j u s t i f i a b l e when th e s la in man was an

o u tla w o r f le e in g t h i e f . I t was m e r i to r io u s to k i l l a t h i e f in th e

a c t o f t h e f t . A d u l te r e r s i n th e a c t o f a d u l te r y c o u ld be k i l l e d

b y th e fa th e r ,b r o th e r ,h u s b a n d ,o r son o f th e woman.So th e man c o u ld

f i g h t f o r h is lo r d and th e lo r d f o r h is man. Aman c o u ld f i g h t f o r

h is k insm an who had been w r o n g fu l ly a t t a c k e d . (3 7 )

The e le m e n t o f in t e n t was f i r s t m e n tio n e d i n th e la w

o f K in g A l f r e d . He who s le w a n o th e r s h o u ld p e r is h ,"b u t i f th e

k i l l i n g washy n e c e s s ity o r u n w i l l i n g l y do n e ,a s God may have s e n t th e

s la in in t o h is hands, th e s la y e r was w o r th y o f l i f e and la w fu l

" h o t " i f he so u g h t an a s y lu m .(3 8 )

i n case o f a c c id e n ta l d e a th , f i n e was to "be p a id and th e

th in g t h a t s t r u c k th e s la in p e rs o n was handed o v e r to th e a v e n g e r

o f b lo o d as a g u i l t y th in g . A l f r e d 's la w c o n ta in s a p r o v is io n to

th e e f f e c t t h a t when a tre e f e l l upon and k i l l e d a m a n . i t s h o u ld

b e lo n g to th e k in d re d o f th e dead man i f th e y to o k i t away w i t h in

t h i r t y d a y s . (3 9 )

A c c e s s o r ie s w ere p u n is h a b le as w e l l as th e p r i n c i p l e .

U nder Eadward th e C o n fe s s o r ,a w i f e , i f accused o f a b e t t in g h e r h u s ­

band in th e p e r p e t r a t io n o jf h is c r im e , had to c le a r h e r s e l f on

o a th o r a t th e f i r e . I f she c o u ld n o t c le a r h e r s e l f , she was made an

w x i le and a l l o f h e r goods w ere f o r f e i t e d . ( 4 c )

4 . THE LAWS COICERHIIG THEFT.

T h e iv in g was th e c r im e m ost e x te n s iv e ly le g is la t e d

a g a in s t in th e A n g lo - Saxon p e r io d . E v e ry w ita n in c re a s e d th e body

o f la w a g a in s t t h ie v in g and so u g h t to p u t down t h e f t by th e i n ­

f l i c t i o n o f d r a s t ic p u n ish m e n ts , u n d e r K in g A e th e lb e r t , t h ie v in g

was p u n is h a b le by t r i p l e d and q u a d ru p le d f in e s .T h e freem an th a t

s t o le fro m th e K in g p a id n in e f o ld " b o t " ; t h e freem an th a t s t o le

fro m a freem an p a id th re e f o ld " b o t " and th e -^ ing to o Lk a l l o f h is

c h a t t e l s . ( 4 i ) E ve ry man was to be i n a t e r r i t o r i a l f i s c a l u n i t o r

s e c u r i t y , e ve ry k in d re d was made re s p o n s ib le f o r th e pu n ishm en t o f

i t s th ie v e s ,w h i le e ve ry in d iv id u a l was a u th o r iz e d to ta k e a t h i e f

dead o r a l iv e .T h e man who s e iz e d a t h i e f i n th e woods and s le w .

h im , d e c la re d t h a t he s le w th e m a n fo r a t h ie f , a n d th e n no "w e r"

was p a y a b le . (4 2 ) S hou ld Ih e t h i e f he s e iz e d and h e ld ,h e was

l i a b l e to d e a th xm less redeemed f o r h is f u l l p r i c e . (4 3 ) The p e r ­

son who s e iz e d th e t h i e f was bound to h o ld h im , fo r i f a man a l l ­

owed a t h i e f to ascape he was l i a b l e to a f i n e ; i f th e ea ldo rm an

l e t a t h i e f e sca p e ,he l o s t h is w ho le ’s c i r " . (44 )To encourage th e

c a p tu re o f th ie v e s a re w a rd o f te n s c i l l i n g s was o f f e r e d to th e

c a p t o r . (4 5 ) So th e f in d e r o f s to le n f le s h was to have in fo r m a t io n

m a n e y .(4 6 ) ln th e h u n d re d ,e v e ry hundred man had to j o i n i n th e hue

and c ry o r j o i n i n p a y in g heavy f in e s i f th e t h i e f e s c a p e d .(4 ? )

The t h i e f who made th e payment o f "werR had to make

r e s t i t u t i o n o f th e goods o r be p u t in s la v e ry to w o rk o u t h is d e b t.

I f th e o f fe n d e rs fa m i ly h a rb o re d laim, i t l o s t i t s fre e d o m .(4 8 )

The w i fe c o u ld c le a r h e r s e l f by s w e a rin g th a t she had n o th in g to . do

w i t h th e s t e a l i n g . I f th e t h i e f s t o le w i th o u t th e know ledge o f h is

h o u s e h o ld ,h e p a id a f in e o f s i x t y s c i l l i n g s ; i f th e t h e f t was w i t h

know ledge o f h is h o u s e h o ld ,a l l w e re l i a b l e to be s o ld in to s la v ­

e r y , f 4 9 )

H a rb o r in g a t h i e f was a s e r io u s o f fe n s e a g a in s t th e

cus to m a ty la w . th e lo r d who was p r iv y to h is th e o w 's t h e f t , f o r ­

f e i t e d th e theow and was l i a b l e i n h is "w e r" f o t th e f i r s t o f f ­

ense ; i f he re le a te d th e o f fe n s e he became l i a b l e i n a l l o f th e

goods th a t he had .T he K in g 's tre a su re « * o r re e ve who c o n n iv e d w i t h

th ie v e s was l i a b l e to re m o va l fro m o f f i c e and f o r f e i t u r e o f a l l t h a t

he p o sse sse d .(>550 ) The p e r s in who h a rb o re d th e lo r d le s s man was

o b l ig e d to pay f o r h im a c c o rd in g to h is " w e r " . ( 5 j c e o r i i sc

man who h a rb o re d a t h i e f had th e bu rd e n o f c le a r in g h im s e l f . )

H a rb o r in g s to le n goods made th e p e rso n l i a b l e to a heavy f i n e . (53 )

The com pounding o f t h e f t s by th e r e c e ip t o f s to le n goods o r

money so as to sup p re ss a n o th e r ’ s r i g h t made th e compounder l i a b l e

i n h is " w e r " . (5 4 )

Cnut re q u ire d e ve ry man above th e age o f tw e lv e to sw­

e a r t h a t he w o u ld n o t be t h i e f o r be in c o l lu s io n w i t h t h ie v e s . (55)

U nder i n i , a boy o f te n c o u ld be p r iv y to a t h e f t . (5 6 ) ^he man

accused o f t h e f t was o b lig e d to come to - c o u r t , f o r s e v e ra l f a i l ­

u re s to answ er made h im l i a b l e as an o u t la w . E v a s io n o f j u s t i c e

and e v i l re p u te w ere c o n c lu s iv e p r o o f o f g u i l t . (5 7 ) C ap tu re

a f t e r e v a s io n o f th e law le d to m u t i l a t i o n . (5 8 ) A l l esm blances

o f t h e f t w ere to be k e p t d o w n ,fo e e v e ry a c c u s a t io n had to be answ­

e r e d . in i e n a c te d th a t i f a fa r -c o m in g man jo u rn e y e d th ro u g h th e

woods a r o u t o f th e h ig h w a y ,h e was to s h o u t o r b low h is h o rn

o r be ta k e n f o r a t h i e f . (5 9 )

Man s te a l in g made a man l i a b l e to f o r f e i t u r e and

d e a th . The freem an who s to le a man was o b lig e d upon a c c u s a t io n ,

to c le a r h im s e l f by th e re q u ire d number o f f r e e c o m p u rg a to rs . ( 6 q )

T h ie v in g in a ch u rch made th e t h i e f l i a b l e to f in e

and th e lo s s o f th e hand th a t d id i t u n le s s he w o u ld redeem th e

hand by th e paym ent o f f u l l "w e rn . ( 6 l ) S te a lin g on S u n d a y ,d u r­

in g l e n t , o r on C h r is tm a s ,o n E a s te r ,o r A s c e n c io n pay was p u n is h a b le

by d o u b le f i n e . (6 2 ) I f anyone i n o rd e rs s t o le , he made " b o t " as

w e l l as " w e r " . ( 6 3 )

T h ie v in g by b re a k in g in t o a m an's house any t im e

th ro u g h th e n ig h t made th e t h i e f l i a b l e to d e a th as an o u t la w

i f he w ere k i l l e d anjr t im e th ro u g h th e n ig h t . (6 4 )

The p u rc h a s e r o f c a t t le had to p ro v e a good

w a r ra n ty when h is t i t l e was a s s a i le d o r s ta n d g u i l t y as a

t h i e f . i f he f a l s e ly d e c la re d th a t he bo u gh t c a t t le w i t h w a r r ­

a n ty , he was a t h i e f and f o r f e i t e d a l l o f h is g o o d s .(6 5 ) So

s to le n p r o p e r ty s e ia e d in th e hands o f a chapman had to be p ro ve d

by good w itn e s s e s o r th e chapman s to o d l i a b l e as a t h i e f . (6 6 )

The c h ie f o b s ta c le to th e e n fo rce m e n t o f th e s e

la w s a g a in s t th ie v e s was th e p o w e r fu l k in d r e d . ( 6 7 ) To overcom e

t h i s . i t was e n a c te d th a t th e s c i r s h o u ld be i n a s ta t e o f w ar

b e fo re any k in d re d s h o u ld s ta n d o u t in d e f ia n c e o f th e la w . jn

L o n d o n ,th e J u d ic ia C i v i t a t i s lo n d o n a e .a g u i ld f o r m u tu a l p r o -

t e c t io n , o rd a in e d t h a t i f a hundred p ro ve d to o s tro n g and r e ­

fu s e d to g iv e up a t h i e f t h a t a l l th e g u i ld s h o u ld r id e a g a in s t

th e k in d r e d . (6 8 )

The la rg e number o f pu n ishm en ts d e v is e d to p u t

down th ie v in g e v id e n ce s th e p re v a le n c e o f th e c r im e .F in e s w ere

made n in e f o l d ; f u l l "w e r" was dem anded ;the t h i e f was s o ld in to

s la v e ry .T h e s la v e who s to le was f lo g g e d to death;wom en th ie v e s

w ere Im rn e d . (69 )The c a p tu re d t h i e f c o u ld be s o ld in to s la v e ry

beyond th e s e a s ;s la in as an enemy o f th e s ta t e ; o r redeemed w i t h J (7 0 )

th e "w e r" .D e a th was a p e n a lty demanded o f th ie v e s in th e law s o f

i n i , A l f r e d ,a n d A e th e ls ta n . (7 1 (

5 .THE KING’ S T~ACE.

The id e a th a t c r im e s w ere o f fe n c e s a g a in s t s o c ­

i e t y and th a t th e o f fe n d e r m ust pay th e p e n a lty f o r h is m isdeeds

was f i r s t m e n tio n e d in th e law s o f K in g i n i . i t s deve lopm en t was

s lo w e r i n E n g la n d th a n on th e c o n t in e n t , ow ing pe rhaps to th e

s t r e n g th o f th e k in d re d and th e p e rs is te n c y o f th e fe n d and th e

!,w e r " . ( 7 2 ) The K in g ’ s Peace to o k i t s fo rm in th e sys tem o f m u t­

u a l g iia ra n te e be tw een th e s e v e ra l p a r t ie s t h a t made up th e s ta t e .

(7 3 ) The f i r s t means d e v is e d to h o ld men in check was th e o rg a n ­

i z a t io n o f a r t i f i c i a l u n i t s u n d e r th e s a n c t io n o f th e a u t h o r i t ­

ie s by w h ic h men w ere p u t u n d e r th e d i r e c t and lo c a l o f f i c e r s .

G u ild s w ere made up o f f a m i ly heads and fo rm ed a r t i f i c i a l f i s ­

c a l u n i t s . (7 4 ) The "g e g y ld a ’1 w ere th o s e t h a t m u tu a l ly vo itched

and p a id f o r ane a n o th e r u n d e r a system o f p e c u n ia ry m u lc t s . (7 5 )o

Thus e v e ry man had a s u r i t y to p r o te c t h im when a c c u s e d ,to p re ­

s e n t h im to ju s t ic e ,a n d to pay f o r h im when he was fin e *fe .(7 6 )

The f ra n k p le d g e was a b in d in g in g ro u p s o f te n s as m u tu a l a id s in

th e k e e p in g o f p e a c e .^77) The r e s u l t was t h a t a l l freem en w ere

bound to g e th e r in a system o f m u tu a l g u a ra n te e .

The p r a c t i c a l w o rk in g s o f th e sys tem w ere good .

I f th e o f fe n d in g p e rso n e s c a p e d ,h is g u a ra n to rs w ere l i a b l e u n ­

le s s th e y pu rged the m se lve s on o a th . (7 8 ) So i f one was a cc iised

and he answ ered to t r i a l , h i s g i i i l d b ro th e rs w are h is body o f

c o m p u rg a to rs . (7 9 ) ‘‘‘he m ost n o ta b le o f a l l th e a n c ie n t g u i ld s

was th e J u d ic ia C i v i t a t i s L o n d o n e n s is ,w h ic h was an o r g a n iz a t io n

f o r m u tu a l p r o te c t io n and th e p re v e n t io n o f t h e f t . I t was made up

o f a r t i f i c i a l g ro u p s o f te n s c a l le d "h y n d s '! , s u p p o r te d by m u tu a l

g u a ra n te e s and f in a n c e d by a common p u rs e .T h e s t r e n g th o f th e

o r g a n iz a t io n i s seen by i t s e ig h th c la u s e ,w h ic h d e c la re s t h a t

th e members w i l l fo r c e t h e i r r ig h t s a g a in s t th e p o w e r fu l k in d ­

re d l i v i n g o u ts id e th e c i t y . ( 8 0 ) S o i f a b re a c h o f peace was comm-

i t t e d w i t h in a to w u th e in h a b ita n ts w e re to go in p e rs o n and ta k e th

w ro n g d o e rs o f t h e i r n e a re s t o f k in head f o r h e a d . I f th e in h a b i t ­

a n ts w o u ld n o t g p th e K in g w e n t ; i f th e K in g w o u ld n o t go th e

w h o le d i s t r i c t was to be in a s ta t e o f w a r . ( 8 i )

In th e g e n e ra l la w , f i g h t i n g o r d ra w in g weapons in

th e p re se n ce o f th e K in g so as to d e s tro y h is peace p u t th e

w ro n g d o e r u n d e r th e K in g 's m e rc y .A ls o th e re w ere p r o v is io n s

a g is n s t th e le n d in g o f weapons w i t h w h ic h some one c o u ld be

k i l l e d . I f a d e a th fo l lo w e d th e le n d in g o f an in s tru m e n t o f w a r

th e rwo p a r t ie s w ere to j o i n to g e th e r i n th e payment o f th e

"w e rT,;b u t i f th e y c o u ld n o t be jo in e d to g e th e r , t h e burdenwas p u t

upnn th e le n d e r to pay o n e - th i r d " w e r a n d o n e - th i r d w i t e " .

The in f lu e n c e o f th e c h u rc h is seen in th e e s ta b l is h ­

m ent o f asy lum s f o r o f f e n d e r s . I f anyone f o r w h a te v e r c r im e

sox ight any one o f th e "m ynsterham s'' to w h ic h th e K in g 's feo rm

was an in c id e n t o r anj? o th e r f r e e nh i r e d 'T th a t was w o r th y o f r e ­

v e re n c e ,h e was to have th re e days in w h ic h to p r o te n t h im s e l f

u n le e s he was w i l l i n g to come to te rm s .W h ile so p r o te c te d no

one s h o u ld harm h im u n d e r p e n a ltj? o f m aking " h o t " w i t h " w i t e TT

as w e l l as "W sr” . ( 8 2 )Whoever b ro k e th e K in g 's s e c u r i t y was to

pay f i n e f o r th e p l a in t and f i v e pounds o f pence .A n a rc h b is h o p 's

p r o te c t io n was se cu re d by th re e pounds TTb o t " , w h i le any o th e r

b is h o p 's o r e a ld o rm a n ’ s "b o t" ’ was two pounds. (8 3 )E ve ry ch u rch

h a llo w e d by a b is h o p was a s a n c tu a ry , a re fu g e f o r f le e in g c r ­

i m i n a l s . I f an o f fe n d e r reached a ch u rch no one was to d rag h im

o u t f o r a p e r io d o f seven days .E ven th o u g h he com m itte d more

wrong th e re ,h e c o u ld l i v e un leBS he fo u g h t h is way o u t .As lo n g

as he was s o jc ra rn in g th e re he was s a f e . ^ h i le he was th e re , th e

c h u rc h b re th re n ,u p o n f in d in g t h a t the;? had need f o r th e ch u rch

w ere a llo w e d to remove h im to a n o th e r house th a t had no more

d o o rs th a n th e ch u rch .T h e ch u rc h e a ld o r to o k ca re t h a t th e fu g ­

i t i v e had no fo o d f o r seven d a ys , s h o u ld he g iv e o v e r h is weapons

th e y w ere to keep h im f o r t h i r t y days and th e n g iv e n o t ic e to

h is k in s m e n .(8 4 )

These m ethods show th e p r a c t i c a l b e n t o f th e e a r ly

A n g lo - Saxon law m a k e rs .T h e ir s y s te n e f fe c te d th e d e s t r u d t io n

o f th e k in d re d and p u t men on a m u tu a l g u a ra n te e to keep th e pea­

ce .T h e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f s a n c tu a r ie s gave men tim e to re c o n s id e r

t h e i r a c t io n s and a llo w e d an i n t e r v a l f o r th e a n g ry p a s s io n s

o f men to grow q u ie t .T h e a u t h o r i t ie s , b o t h s e c u la r and e c c le s ia s t ­

i c a l , w o rke d o u t th e id e a o f th e K in g ’ s pe ace .

6 . ASSATTLTS AKD IIJTTRIES.

The o ld A ng lO -S axon was h e ld re s p o n s ib le f o r h is

t o r t s and th e t o r t s o f h is c h a t te ls .H e p a id f in e s f o r h is own

tre s p a s s e s and th e tre s p a s s e s o f h is c a t t le ;h e w a s l i a b l e fo e any

i n ju r y t h a t he caused w h e th e r i t was w i l l f u l , a c c id e n ta l o r neg­

l i g e n t . I f he fo u g h t in a n o th e r ’ s h o u se ,h e p a id a f in e f o r t r e s ­

pass . (85 )When he c a l le d amob he p a id a f in e e q u a l to ’’w e r " . ( 8 6 )

He who fo u g h t a t th e fo lc - m o t ,p a id a heavy f i n e . ( 8 7 ) I t was t r e s ­

pass to pass o v e r a n o th e r 's boundary o r th ro u g h a n o th e r 's f e n c e . (884

B o t was made f o r in ju r y to a f i e l d o r a v in e y a r d .(8 9 )

S te a l in g o r b o rro w in g a n o th e r 's weapons o r g e t t in g them

by f ra u d o r fo r c e fro m an a rm o u re r,w a s o f te n done to make fa ls e

e v id e n c e a g a in s t th e o w n e r. (9 c )T h e a rm o u re r answ ered to th e own­

e r f o r th e s a fe cu s to d y and r e tu r n o f weapons a t a l l h a z a rd s . (9 1 )

I f a man fu r n is h e d weapons to a n o th e r i n t im e s t r i f e th o u g h no

e v i l was d o n e , th e "b o t" was s ix s c i l l i n g s . i f "w e g re o f" was done,

T'b o t 'T was tw e n ty s c i l l in g s . S h o u ld a man be k i l l e d , rb o t " was one-

h a l f "w e r ” . ( 9 2 ) So i f ap e rso n s e t h is sp e a r a t a n o th e r 's do o r

and l e f t ^ i t th e re and a n o th e r came Tip and to o k i t to do ha rm ,he

who to o k th e weapon p a id a f in e and th e owner had to c le a r h im s e l f .

(9 3 )

The owner o f c a t t le and dogs was l i a b l e f o r t h e i r

m i s c h ie f . I f A ' ox go red a man o r a woman to d e a th , th e ox was to be

s to n e d and i t s f le s h was n o t to be e a te n .S c ie n te r on th e l o r d 's

p a r t o f th e c r u e l n a tu re o f th e ox,m ade h im l i a b l e in h is l i f e o r

to th e paym ent o f f u l l "w e r” a c c o rd in g to th e de cree o f th e " w i ta n ” .

( 9 4 ) I f A* ox wounded 331 ox so t h a t i t d ie d ,A anfi B w ere to s e l l

th e l i v i n g ox and have th e w o r th in common,but i f A had s c ie n te r

he was to g iv e B an ox f o r the one t h a t he had l o s t . (9 5 ) I f a

n e a t wounded a m an ,th e owner gave up th e a n im a l and compounded f o r

i t s dam ages(96) l i a b i l i t y f o r th e damages done by dogs was s e t o u t

in a s c a le o f c o n p e n s a tio n in th e law s o f K in g A l f r e d . Where

c e o r ls had a common p a s tu re , th e owner who d id n o t fe n c e was l i a b l e

f o r th e damages done by h is t re s p a s s in g c a t t le .T h e wwner who

fo u n d t re s p a s s in g c a t t le on h is la n d was to n o t i f y th e owner o f the

c a t t l e . (9 7 '

The l i a b i l i t y f o r a c c id e n t was measured a c c o rd in g

to th e n a tu re o f th e a c t . i f A had a s p e a r o v e r h is s h o u ld e r and

any man: was to sp e a r h im s e lf upon i t , A was to pay "w e r" w ith o u t

" w i t e ” . S hou ld th e in ju r e d p e rs o n s ta k e h im s e l f b e fo re A 's fa c e , A

was to pay f u l l "w e r". When accused o f w i l l f u l n e s s , A had to c le a r

h im s e l f i f th e p o in t were th re e f in g e r s h ig h e r th a n th e h in d m o s t

p a r t o f th e s h a f t . If b o th ends w ere on a l e v e l , A did n o t have to

c le a r h im s e l f . ( 9 8 )

A e th e lb e r t ' s law c o n ta in s t h i r t y n in e c la u ses f i x ­

in g com p en sa tion f o r th e d is f i gurem ent o f pe rson s in g u a r r e ls and

f ig h ts .T h e o ld M osaic la w o f eye f o r e y e , to o th f o r t o o t h , and hand

f o r hand appears in t h e la w o f K in g A l f r e d . ( 99 ) A r e c i t a l o f th e

p r o v is io n s i n th e la w o f K in g A e th e ls ta n w i l l show th e p r in c ip le

much l i k e th a t in th e modern la w o f mayhem. Twelve s c i l l i n g s w ere

p a id f o r th e lo s s o f an e a r ; tw e n ty f i v e s c i l l i n g s w e re p a id i f d e a f­

ness f o l lo w e d ; and th re e s ci l l i n g s w ere p a id i f th e e a r w ere p ie r c e d ,

(1 00 ) I f th e nose w ere p ie rc e d , th e f in e was n in e s c i l l i n g s . ( 1 0 1 )

So each o f th e fo u r f r o n t te e th c o s t s i x s c i l l i n g s ; th e to o th n e x t

to them fo u r s c i l l i n g s ; and th e n a l l o th e r te e th one s c i l l i n g each.

( 10 2 ) In th e same manner th e f in g e r s and th e to e s w ere p r o te c te d .

C om pensation f o r th e thumb was tw en ty s c i l l i n g s ; th e s h o o tin g f in g e r

e ig h t s c i l l i n g s ; th e m id d le f in g e r fo u r s c i l l i n g s ; th e r in g f in g e r

s i x s c i l l i n g s ; and th e l i t t l e f in g e r e le v e n s c i l l i n g s . ( 103) Thus th e

sys tem co ve re d any s o r t o f p h y s ic a l i n j u r y . Wh e th e r o r n o t th e f in e

was p a id as f ix e d damages is an open q u e s t io n ,b u t s in c e th e sums

p a id w en t to th e in ju r e d p e rs o n , i t is s a fe to presume th a t i n le g a l

c o n te m p la t io n th e y com pensated th e in d iv id u a l f o r h is lo s s .

7 . THE LAW COHCERHIHG INCESTUOUS PERSONS.

The s e c t io n s c o n c e rn in g in c e s tu o u s a c ts a re fo u n d in

th e e c c le s ia s t i c a l d iv is io n s o f th e la w .A ]th o u g h T a c itu s p ra is e d

th e c h a s t i t y o f th e Germans, and a lth o u g h pagan A n g lo -S a xo n p o e t­

r y has no h in t o f u n c h a s t i t y , i t is s a fe to say th a t u n s h a s te a c ts

w ere com m itte d to some degree b e fo re th e com ing o f C h r i s t i a n i t y .

The ch u rc h s t r u c k a t f o r n ic a t io n and a d u l te r y w h e re v e r i t fo u n dV

i t and i t i s p o s s ib le t h a t th e s t r in g e n t law s e n a c te d i n E ng la nd

th ro u g h th e in f lu e n c e o f th e c h u rc h w ere made as p r e c a u t io n a ry

m easures .The c h u rc h on th e c o n t in e n t had no d o iib t le g is la t e d

a g a in s t th e u n c h a s te a c ts t h a t w ere common among th e s o u th e rn

E uropeansand may have a n t ic ip a te d thesame te n de n cy to w a rd u n c h a s t­

i t y among th e A n g lo -S a xo n s .

F o r n ic a t io n r e s u lte d in d i r e pu n ishm en t f o r e c c le s ia s ts

aad laym en .T he p r ie s t who co n n iv e d a t f o r n ic a t io n l o s t h is m in is t r j?

and was p la c e d i n th e m ercy o f th e b is h o p . (104 ) A l l i n h o ly o rd e rs

who d id n o t m a in ta in c h a s t i t y f o r f e i t e d t h e i r w o r ld ly p o s s e s s io n s

and a c o n s e c ra te d b u r i a l p la c e . ( io 5 )S o th e la ym a n who co m m itte d

f o r n i c a t io n w i t h anun was d e n ie d C h r is t ia n b u r i a l . f 106) F o rc in g

a nun was p a id f o r by deep penance b e fo re God and th e w o r ld . ( io 7 )

Men l i v i n g in i l l i c i t in te r c o u r s e w ere adm onished to ta k e to a

r ig h te o u s l i f e o r be s e p a ra te d fro m communion w i t h th e c h u rc h . (1 08 )

F o re ig n e rs w ere to cease f o r n ic a t io n o r q u i t th e la n d w i t h t h e i r

goods and t h e i r s i n s . (1 09 )

Rape by a man upon a fe m a le s la v e was p u n is h e d by a

f in e o f f i v e s c i l l i n g s and s i x t y c s i l l i n g s f o r " w i t s ” . ( n G )

The c rim e was p x in is h a b le in th e same degree w h e th e r th e woman was

u n d e r age o r an a d u l t , f i l l ) The d e f i l i n g o f a w idow was a g r e a t

w rong p u n is h a b le by heavy " b o t " .(1 1 2 )

A l f r e d and G uthrum in t h e i r peace o rd a in e d t h a t

i f any a d u l te r e r s w ere fo u n d in th e la n d , t h a t th e y w ere to be

d r iv e n o u t so th a t th e p e o p le c o u ld be c le a n s e d ,o r th e y w ere to

p e r is h i n th e c o u n try u n le s s th e y d e s is te d and p a id " b o t r' . ( n 3 )

T^e freem an g u i l t y o f a d u lte r y o f a d u lte r y w i t h a fre e m a n 's w i f e

p a id f o r h is c rim e w i t h "w e r" and p ro v id e d a n o th e r w i fe w i t h h is

own m oney. f 1 1 4 )The K in g was to la v e th e t r u n k and th e b is h o p th e

lim b s o f a d u lte ro u s pe rsons i n case nb o t rT was n o t made b r fo r e

God and malr. f T I 5 ) A d u lte r y in th e law o f Eadmund was p u n is h a b le

in th e same degree as m u rd e r . (1 1 6 )

8 . S LAJTDER AED PERJTTRT.

S la n d e r , f a ls e a c c u s a t io n ,a n d p e r ju r y w ere c rim e s

p u n is h a b le by f in e s and m u t i la t io n in th e A n g lo - Saxon la w . who­

e v e r s la n d e re d a n o th e r i n a n o th e r 's house and s h a m e fu lly bespoke

h im th e re w i t h a b u s iv e w ords p a id one s c i l l i n g f i n e to th e owner

o f th e h o u se . f n 7 ) A l f r e d , th e t r u t h t e l l e r , p a i d i t down th a t i f any

one co m m itte d p u b l ic s la n d e r ,h e was to s u f f e r no le s s a p e n a lty

th a n th e lo s s o f h is to n g u e .(1 1 8 ) so u n d e r E adg a r, th e f a ls e a ccu se r

w i t h damage r e s u l t in g to th e accu sed , was p u n is h e d by th e re m o va l

o f h is to n g u e and th e payment o f nw e r f' . ( n 9 )

He wh0 gave f a ls e w itn e s s o r swore a f a ls e o a th ,w a s

n e v e r a w itn e s s a g a in . f l2 o ^ The p e r ju r e r s h o u ld n e v e r be o a th ­

w o r th y a g a in and he was to l i e u n h a llo w e d u n le s s th e b is h o p swore

t h a t th e w itn e s s fo l lo w e d th e c o u n s e l o f h is c o n fe s s o r in g iv in g

t h e te s t im o n y . (*^21 ) In Eadm und's t im e , th e p e r ju r e r was c a s t oxit o f

communion w i t h God u n le s s he d id p e n a n c e .(1 22 ) F a ls e h o o d a c c o rd in g

to th e o ld p r a c t ic e le d to much p e r ju r y and con tem p t f o r th e c h u rc h .

(1 2 3 ) He who compounded f o r th e " c e a p g e ld " , compounded f o r th e

o rd e a l as he c o ii ld and n o t f o r th e " w i t e " . (1 3 4 ) So, th e o f f e r e r o f

f a ls e w itn e s s e s f o r f e i t e d h is w itn e s s e s f o r e ve r b e s id e s m aking

(h im s e l f l i a b l e to a f in e o f t h i r t y s c i l l i n g s . (1 2 5 ) From th e e a r l i e s t

day, th e A n g lo -S a xo n has in s is t e d upon s u b s ta n t ia l j u s t i c e based

upon th e t r u t h o f an is s u e betw een man and man.

9 . .HTHISHMENTS.

I t i s in t e r e s t in g to n o te th e many d i f f e r e n t fo rm s

o f p u n ish m e n t i n f l i c t e d by th e a u t h o r i t i e s i n t h e i r e f f o r t s to

c o n t r o l th e e v i l p a s s io n s s>f men. The e a r l i e s t fo rm o f pu n ishm en t

was th e b lo o d - fe u d . F o llo w in g c lo s e ly upon t h i s came an a u th o r iz e d

sustem o f m u lc ts and f in e s based upon th e s o c ia l s ta n d in g o f th e

i n d iv id u a l . The in e f f i c ie n c y o f th e s e fo rm s o f p u n ishm en t le d to

th e d e p r iv a t io n o f p r p p e r ty , th e ta k in g o f l i f e and m u t i la t io n . F o r

f e i t u r e . a common enough pun ishm en t in l a t e r A n g lo - saxon t im e s ,

was a d i r e c t o u tg ro w th o f the f a i l u r e o f f in e s to s to p c r im e . (1 2 6 '

So f o r f e i t u r e was a pun ishm en t f o r t r e a s o n , f ig h t in g in th e K in g 's

h o u s e ,a b e t t in g a t h ie f , a n d a d u lte r y . (1 2 7 -8 ) D eath by A l f r e d 's t im e

cwas th e pu n ish m e n t f o r t r e a s o n , w i l l f u l m u rd e r , fo r c u rs in g o n e 's

f a t h e r and m o th e r , s te a l in g a fre e m a n ,o r h a rb o r in g e x i le s and th ie v e s

(1 2 9 ) ^ i r a t e s t h a t were c a p tu re d and b ro u g h t to A l f r e d w ere hang­

ed on th e g a llo w s t r e e , th e common mode o f e x e c i i t io n . ( l3 r ) © IT tlaw -

r y fo l lo w e d th e m urde r o f a k in s m a n , th ie v in g ,a n d f a i l u r e to answ­

e r i n th e m oot.T he e f f e c t s o t o u t la w ry w ere th a t th e o u t la w was an

e x i le t h a t c o i i ld he k i l l e d w i t h im p u n ity . M u t i la t io n was pun ishm en t

i n some o f th e le s s e r c r im e s .A e d g a r was b l in d e d by th e o rd e r o f a® -

t h e l r e d . (13 l ) A e lp h e lm 's m u rd e re rs w ere b l in d e d . (1 3 2 ' By th e la w o f

C nu t,ha n ds w ere c u t o f f , e a rs w ere s l i t , a n d u p p e r l i p s w ere c u t away.

( i 3 3 ) The to n g u e th a t u t t e r e d s la n d e ro u s w ords was c u t o u t . ( i3 4 ^

The m ale s la v e th a t was fo u n d g u i l t y a t th e o rdea l, sudde red b ra n d ­

in g and s c o u rg in g ; th e fem a le s la v e g u i l t y a t th e o rd e a l was burned

to d e a th .^135^ There i s no d o u b t b u t t h a t m u t i la t io n ,w h ic h was o f

Hebrew o r ig in ,w a s b ro u g h t in to th e A ng lo -S a xo n la w a f t e r th e i n t r o ­

d u c t io n o f C h r i s t i a n i t y .

E xcom m un ica tion was a fo rm o f pu n ishm en t used

in p e r ju r y and f o r n i c a t i o n . f 136 ' Im p ris o n m e n t i s n o t m e n tio n e d in

th e e a r ly la w s ,b u t in th e p e o p le ’ s P.ank and la w s , im p r is o n m e n t was

a mode o f p u n is h m e n t. f 137 '

The s ig n i f i c a n t f a c t in th e A ng lo -S axon scheme

o f p o l ic e governm en t 7/as the s m a ll nomber o f c a p i t a l o ffe n c e s .T h e

A n g lo -S a xo n w o u ld s c o u rg e ,m u t i la te ,a n d e x a c t heavy f in e s even to th e

p o in t o f f o r f e i t u r e o f a l l g o o d s ,b u t th e ta k in g o f l i f e seams to

have been c o n t ra r y to h is id e a o f ju s t i c e e xce p t in th e m ost extrem e

c a se s .

IQ' «PROCEDURE.

The p ro c e d u re by w h ic h s u i t s w ere p ro s e c tite d in

th e A n g lo -S a xo n c o u r ts was s t i f f and u n c o m p ro m is in g . c i v i l and c r im ­

in a l as w e lla s s e c u la r and e c c le s ia s t ic a l cases, w ere n o t

d is t in g u is h e d ;b u t in th e o ld p ro c e d u re th e re w ere p r in c ip le s th a t

have p e r s is te d in th e law to t h i s day . C h a ra c te r was a p p ea le d to

much as i t i s to -d a y in th e common la w c o u r t s . (1 3 8 ) He who p ro ve d

to be d is h o n e s t was n o t o a th w o r th y .A llm e n w ere adm onished to keep

t h e i r o a th s and t h e i r "w eds" .0 *%Ly ju s t dooms w ere to be p ronounced

as o f f o l c - r i g h t and e ve ry s u i t was to have a tB B m .( i3 9 ) The den­

i e r o f j u s t i c e was h e a v i ly f in e d ;w h i le he who evaded ju s t i c e

c o u ld be p u rsu e d and t r e a te d as an o u t la w . ( I 4 c ) R epeated absences

a t "gremot" made th e ab sen tee l i a b l e in f o r f e i t u r e . ( I 4 i ) i f veng ­

eance w ere ta k e n b e fo re demand f o r j u s t i c e , t h e damage had to be

p a id f o r . (1 4 2 ) Thus, tho u g h no p r e s c r ib e d method f o r com ing to

o o u r t was made in th e la w , th e A n g lo -S a xo n was c o n s r ta in e d to come

when ju s t i c e had to be passed upon u n d e r p e n a lty o f o u t la w ry and

th e paym ent o f f in e s .

The c o u r ts m e n tio n e d in th e co s tu m a ls a re th e

c o u n ty o r " s c i r - m o t " , : th e h u n d re d -m o t,a n d th e " t u n - m o t " . i n a d d i t ­

io n , th e W ita n and th e K in g s a t as th e c o u r t o f l a s t r e s o r t , t o be

ap pea led to on lj? when th e ju s t i c e o f th e lo w e r c o u r ts had "been

e x h a tis te d . The " s c i r - m o t " was th e c o u r t o f a p p e a l n e x t above th e

h u n d re d c o u r t . (1 4 3 ) The r e g u la r te rm f o r th e hundred c o u r t was

once in fo u r w e e k s ; fo r th e - " tu n - m o t " , e v e ry fo u r m on ths , and f o r

th e " 8 i r - m o t ’ , tw ic e a y e a r . ( l4 4 ) The hundreds o f t e n u n ite d - u n d e r

th e ea ldorm an o f th e " s c i r " a n d formed, a s u b s id ia r y c o u r t . (1 45 )

The p r iv a t e j u r i s d i c t i o n was in th e lo r d b a ro n c o u n ts ,a lo r d 's

c o u r t f o r te n a n ts , th e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f w h ic h i s spoken o f as

"s a c and so c ” ; t h a t i s , i t im p o rte d p r iv a t e j u r i s d i c t i o n and th e

r i g h t to ta k e and e n jo y th e p r o f i t s th e r e o f .

The o f f i c e r s o f th e p u b l ic c o u r ts and t h e i r d u t ­

ie s have been e x p la in e d in th e c h a p te r on a d m in is t r a t io n .

A s u i t was s ta r te d by thB s w e a rin g o f th e fo r e o a th and th e d e p o s it ­

in g o f a p le d g e . T h is was n o t n e ce ssa ry w here th e fa c t s w ere de­

f i n i t e , as w here a p a r ty showed h is wound i n c o u r t . ( i4 6 ) Where th e

c la im was f a ls e , t h e p a r ty c o m p la in in g was s u b je c t to a f i n e . (1 4 7 '

Eadward demanded th e tongue o f th e f a ls e a c c u s e r . (14:8}

P le a d in g was done by a system o f o a th - h e lp e r s . A

K in g 's or, a b is h o p 's w ord was xm im peachah le . a m in s te r 's " e a ld o r ”

c le a re d h im s e l f i n th e same way as a p r ie s t ,w h ic h was i n h o ly g a r ­

m ents b e fo re th e a l t a r , w i t h th e w o rd s ,” I speak th e t r u t h in C h r is t ,

I do n o t l i e . A c l e r i c c le a re d h im s e l f as one o f fo u r o f h is l i k e ,

w i th one hand on th e a l t a r and th e o th e r c le r i c s s ta n d in g by and

accom paning th e o a th . A s t ra n g e r c le a re d h im s e l f a t th e a l t a r on

h is own o a t h . (1 4 9 ) The freem an c le a re d h im s e l f by th e p ro p e r num­

b e r o f co m p u rga to rs and h im s e l f in an o a th ,e a ch a t th e " t u n ” to

whffiBh he b e lo n g e d .(1 5 0 ) The o a th was th e p r im a ry mode o f p r o o f

t h a t w e n t to th e ju s t i c e o f a c la im . The number o f co m pu rga to rs

v a r ie d a c c o rd in g to th e n a t t ire o f th e case and th e ra n k o f th e p a r ­

t i e s c o n c e rn e d .( i 5 l ) The c e o r l is c man c le a re d h im s e l f a t th e a l t a r

w i t h fo u r o f h is k in d . ( l5 2 ) The o a th to c le a r a "g e s ith c u n d ” man

was g r e a te r and re tp u ire d more h e lp e rs .T h e te rm s " tw e lv e hynde"

and "tw o hynde ” a re connec ted w i t h sys tem o f o a th h e lp in g - .T h e ir ex ­

p la n a t io n can be s i f t e d o u t o f th e law s th e m s e lv e s . In s e c t io n 54

o f th e law s o f r in g J n i, " h y n d e n ” r e fe r s to th e s e t o f o a th h e lp e rs

s u p p o r t in g a k in sm a n . The o a th o f t h i r t y h id e s is th e o a th o f th e

K in g 's th a n e . The s in g le o a th o f th e tw e lv e hynde man was te n

h id e s ;w h i le th e o a th o f h im s e lf and h e lp e rs was one hund red and

tw e n ty h id e s . So tw e lv e m e n ,e le ve n b e s id e s th e tw e lv e hynde man,

made up th e f u l l h y n d e . in o rd e r to have a s ta n d in g i n c o u r t , th e

tw e lv e hynde man was o b lig e d to have a f u l lm h y n d e ,w h ic h , i t can

be seen ,depended upon th e com p le teness o f th e tw e lv e hynde m an's

f a m i ly , "’he two hynde man had to come in to c o u r t w i t h o n ly one

s i x t h as many h e lp e rs and h is o a th was o n ly one s ix t h a s v a ^ a b le

as th e o a th o f th e tw e lv e hynde man. ’ lo re o f t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n w i l l

be d is c u s s e d in th e c h a p te r on s o c ia l A n g lo - Saxon E n g la n d .

mhe accused who c le a re d h im s e l f th ro u g h com purga to rs

who sw ore to h is in n o ce n cd and good c h a r a c t e r , f i r s t w en t to th e "m o t”

and th e re p le a d e d h is in n o c e n c e ,a n d th e n p ro ve d h is case w i t h th e

a id o f h is o a th - h e lp e r s . An exam ple o f th e p r a c t ic e in v o u c h in g to

c a t t le w a r ra n ty i s s e to u t in pun s e ta s .w h e re i f th e c a t t le w ere

a tta c h e d and th e p a r ty had vouched to w a r ra n ty .h e macle a d e p o s it

to in s u re an end to th e s u i t . Then he who c la im e d th e c a t t l e , h im ­

s e l f one o f s i x , swore th a t th e y w ere s to le n fro m h im ,a n d he who

vouched w a r ra n ty made o a th a lo n e th a t he vouched to w a® ran ty fro m

th e p e rso n t h a t s o ld to h im . ( l5 5 ) I f a p r ie s t w ere accused o f e v i l

p r a c t ic e ,h e c e le b ra te d mass and c le a re d h im s e l f on th e hox ise l w i th

two o f h is f e l lo w e c c le s ia s t s . (1 5 4 ) The deacon when accused in a

s im p le s u i t , c le a r e d h im s e lf w i th two d e a c o n s ; i f th e s u i t w ere th r e e ­

f o ld ,he c le a re d h im s e l f w i t h s i x dea con s .(1 5 5 )

F a c ts w ere in q u ire d in t o to s u p p o r t a c la im in cases

o f w a r ra n ty i n th e t i t l e to c a t t l e . (1 5 6 ) so each to w n s h ip had to

p ro v id e s i x sw orn w itn e s s e B o f s a le s so th a t th e hundred e a ld o r

c o u ld a p p ly to them f o r te s t im o n y . f i 5 7 ) So i f a K e n t is h man b o u gh t

a c h a t t e l i n lo n d o n w ic .h e had two o r th re e w o rth y men to w itn e s s ,

so t h a t i f i t a f te rw a rd s w ere c la im e d hy a n o th e r ,h e c o u ld vouch

w a r ra n ty by p ro v in g a t th e a l t a r w i t h th e w itn e s s e s , t h a t he bo ugh t

th e c h a t t e l o p e n ly in the " w ic " w i t h h is own p r o p e r t y . I f la w fu l

ave rm e n t f a i le d , h e f o r f e i t e d th e c a t t l e . (1 5 8 ) in p ro v in g t i t l e ,

w itn e s s e s w ere n e ce ssa ry to a w a r ra n ty back to rn the f o u r t h remove

fro m th e im m ed ia te p u rc h a s e r . f 159) A p u rc h a s e r in case o f th e s e l l e r '

d e a th ,p ro v e d h is w a r ra n ty a t th e s e l l e r ' s g r a v e . ( I6 c )

A l l men w ere adm onished to swear t r u t h f u l l y and to

g iv e h o n e s t te s t im o n y , i f . a man w ere c o n s tra in e d upon o a th e i t h e r

to t re a s o n a g a in s t h is l o r d , o r to any i tn la w fu l a id , th e n i t was ju s to -

e r to b e l ie th a n f u l f i l l ; b u t i f A p le d g e d h im s e l f to do a la w fu l

a c ta n d th e n b e l ie d h im s e lf ,h e was to s u b m is s iv e ly d e l iv e r up h is

weapons and h is goods to th e k e e p in g o f h is f r ie n d s and he in p r is o n

f o r t y days i n th e K in g 's " t u n " . There th e b is h o p was to p re s c r ib e

p u n ishm en t f o r h im and h is k insm en w ere to fe e d h im . i f he were

fo rc e d to come to c o u r t , h is weapons and p ro p e r ty w ere f o r f e i t e d .

I f he b ro k e p r is o n and awas re c a p tu re d ,h is pu n ishm en t was f o r t y

days more in p r is o n ;b u t i f he w ere n o t re ta k e n ,h e s u f fe re d excomm­

u n ic a t io n fro m a l l o f C h r is t 's c h u rc h e s . ( I 6 i )

The o rd e a ls o f f i r e and w a te r wejfee employed to

s e t t l e d is p u te s and a d m in is te r ju s t ic e .T h e s e o rd e a ls came to be th e

o n ly m ethod o f p ro c e d u re in cases o f th e f t .T h e y w ere used in th e v

c h u rc h u n d e r th e s u p e rv is io n o f th e e c c le s ia s ts . E ve ry man accused

had th e c h o ic e o f w a te r o r f i r e . ( i 6 3 ^ in t r i a l by w a te r , th e m in is te r

o f th e b i§ h o p s a t to see th a t ju s t i c e was d o n e .(1 63 ) i n fa c t ,w h e n ­

e v e r a j u s t i c i a r y h e ld c o u r t ,a m in is te r o f th e b ish o p , was p re s e n t

to add th e d ig n i t y o f th e ch u rc h and th e id e » o f G o b .(1 6 4 ) The

p ro c e d u re i n h o t i r o n and w a te r was as f o l lo w s . A f t e r th e f i r e was

c a r r ie d in t o th e c h u rc h ,n o one h u t th e mass p r ie s t e n te re d and th e re

he m easured o f f n in e fe e t fro m th e s ta k e to th e m a rk . The w a te r was

h e a te d lo w to b o i l i n g in an i r o n , h r a s s , le a d , o r c la y k e t t l e . T f i t

w erea s in g le a c c u s a t io n , th e hand o f th a accused man w en t a f t e r th e

s to n e up to th e w r i s t ; i f i t w ere th re e f o ld ,u p to th e e lbow .T he

hand t h r u s t i n was w rapped f o r th re e days b e fo re th e c o v e r in g was

rem oved.The f in e f o r r e fu s in g to p ro cee d was 12? s o i l l i n g s . f 165)

The i r o n f o r th e th re e f o ld o rd e a l w e ighed th re e p o u n d s ;th e s in g le

a c c u s a t io n i r o n one p o u n d .(1 6 6 ) "Wed” f o r th e o rd e a l was made as

fo d lo w s . The accused w en t to th e mass p r ie s t th re e days b e fo re th e

o rd e a l,w h e re he was fe d w i th b r e a d ,w a te r ,s a l t ,a n d h e rb s .H e a tte n d e d

mass upon each o f th e th re e days and w en t to h o u s e l on th e t h i r d .

Then he sw ore n o t g u i l t y . I f th e o rd e a l was w a te r ,h e d iv e d an e l l and

one h a l f by th e ro p e ; i f i t w ere h o t i r o n th e hand was h o t to be un ­

done f o r th re e d a y s . f167) I f a man w ere u n tru e to th e hu n d re d and

th re e men to g e th e r accused h im , he w e n t to th e t h r e e f o ld o r d e a l . I f

th e lo r d vouched th a t n e i th e r o a th n o r o rd e a l had e v e r f a i l e d th e

a c c u s e d ,th e lo r d to o k two t r u e men in the hundred who w i t h h im swore

t h a t n e i t h e r o a th n o r o rd e a l had f a i l e d h im ,a n d th a t he had ne ve r pa­

id money f o r t h i e v i n g . I f th e n the o a th s u c c e e d e d ,th e accused man cho­

se e i t h e r th e o rd e a l o r th e pound w o r th a a t h . I f he re fus-ed to ta k e

th e o a th , he w en t to th e t r i p l e o r d e a l. Theaccused had f i v e men

w i t h h im ,a n d i f in th e o a th he w ere fo u n d f o u l , he p a id do u b le

f in e to th e a c c u s e r and Tw e r" to the lo r d . ( l6 8 ^

The law e x e rc is e d was cus to m a ry .T h e p e o p le p a s s -

upon custom and th e n c a lle d upon th e K in g to e xe cu te t h e i r jud gm e n t.

(1 69 ) The " W ita n " , th e a u t h o r i t a t i v e th a n e s o f th e " s e i r " , exp resse d

t h e i r v ie w s . So th e custom o f th e S o i r ,T was used as a means o f

d e te rm in in g r i g h t s . ( I 7 c ) in eve ry " t u n ” w ere s ta n d in g com m ittee s

o f t r u t h f u l men who a c te d as ju r o r s o r co u n se l f o r th e p re se n tm e n t

o f c u s to m . ( I 7 l ) In appea led c a s e s ,th e lo c a l custom fo rm ed th e

b a s is o f th e l i t i g a n t ' s r i g h t s .

P e n a lt ie s a f t e r a d ju d ic a t io n w ere p a y a b le in

seve n d a y s .(1 7 2 ) F in e s f o r b re ach es o f peace w ere p a y a b le to th e

p e rs o n whose peace had been b roken .H o p ro c e d u re in th e c o u r ts was

p e r m it te d on ch u rc h d a y s ;o rd e a ls ,o a th s ,a n d e x e c u t io n s o f c r im in a ls

v /e re p r o h ib i t e d . (1 7 3 )

The above p ro c e d u re was c ru d e ,b u t, ; de s ig n e d as

i t w a s ,to g iv e e f f e c t to th e l a w s , i t c o n ta in e d p r in c ip le s t h a t

have re m a ine d in th e E n g lis h (yommon la w .

1 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2440 .

2 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2445.

3 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2450 .

4 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2464.

5 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2380 .

6 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2390 .

7 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2612 .

8 . B e o w u lf. L in e 2612 .

9 . H enry th e F i r s t . C lause LXXXV.

1 0 .Kem ble. Saxons in E n g la n d . V . I . pp 271 .

1 1 .A l f r e d . S e c t. 42 .

1 2 . Eadmund. S e c t. I .

1 3 .F lo re n c e o f W o rc e s te r . C hron. 825 A .D .

1 4 .A n g lo -Saxon Ch r o n ic le . C h ron . 1080 A . D .

1 5 .A n g lo -Saxon Ch r o n ic le . C h ro n . 1080 A . D.

1 6 .P o l lo c k and M a it la n d . H is to r y o f E n g lis h Law.

1 7.H em ble . Saxons in E n g la n d . V . I . pp 128.

1 8 .Kem ble . Saxons i n E n g la n d . V . I . pp 217.

1 9 .A l f r e d and au th ru m . S e c t. 3 .

20.Eadm und. S e c t. j .

21 . Norm an View o f Wessex Cu s to m . Se c t . 6 .

2 2 .A e th e lre d . S e c t. I 2 , i 3 , j 4 .

2 3 .D ia lo g u e s o f A rc h b is h o p E g b e r t . Seebohm.

2 4 .A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 9 .

2 5 .A l f r e d . S e c t. 3 c .

2 6 .A l f r e d . S e c t. 3 l .

2 7 .P o l lo c k and M a it la n d , w is to r y o f E n g lis h Law.■ ° nr» 29*

C n u t. p a r t 2 . S e c t. g f j .

2 9 . Cn u t .

3 0 . H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 1 .

3 1 . H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 3 .

32 . H lo th h a e re . Sect . 4 .

3 3 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 27 .

3 4 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 8 .

3 5 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 7 .

3 6 . Dia lo g q u e o f A rc h b is h o p Eg b e r t . Seebohm.

37 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 42 .

38 . A l f r e d . P a r t 2 . S e c t. 13 .

39 . A l f r e d . Pa r t 2 S e c t. 13 .

4 0 . Edward th e C o n fe s s o r. S e c t. 1 9 .

4 1 . A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 4 , 9 .

4 2 . I n i . S e c t. 2 0 .

4 3 . I n i . S e c t. 1 2 .

4 4 . I n i . S e c t . 2 8 .

4 5 . I n i . S e c t. 28 .

4 6 . I n i . S e c t. 17 .

47 . Cn u t . P a r t 2 . S e c t. 2 1 .

4 8 . I n i . S e c t. 7 , 57 .

4 9 . I n i . S e c t. 7 .

5 0 . A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 5.

5 1 . A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 2 .

52 . I n i . S e c t. 30 .

53 . I n i . S e c t. 46 .

54 . A e th e ls ta n . I n i . S e c t. 8 .

5 5 . Cn u t . P a r t 2 . S e c t. 2 1 .

56 . I n i . S e c t. 1 8 .

57 . Ea d g a r . P a r t 3 . S e c t. 7 .

Cn u t . P a r t 2 . S e c t. 3 3 .

58 . I n i . Sec t . 18 .

59 . I n i . S e c t. I .

6 0 . H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 5 .

6 1 . A l f r e d . P a r t 2 . S e c t. 6 .

62 . A l f r e d . P a r t 5 . S e c t. 5.

C n u t. P a r t 2 . S e c t. 3 8 .

A l f r e d and G u th rum. S e c t. 3 .

64. A l f r e d . S e c t. 25 .

65. S upp lem ent to th e Law o f Eadg a r . S e c t. I I .

6 6 . I n i . S e c t . 2 5 .

67. A e th e ls ta n . P a r t 5 . S e c t. 6 .

6 8 . Germs and D eve lopm ents o f th e Laws o f E n g la n d , p p . 1 3 2 -4 0 .

69 . Ae th e ls ta n . P a r t 3 . Sect . 6 .

7 0 . Wih t r a e d . S e c t. 2 6 .

71. A l f r e d . S e c t. 15 .

I n i . S e c t. 12 .

A e th e ls ta n . P a r t 3 . S e c t . 6 .

72 . P o l lo c k and M a it la n d . H is to r y o f E n g lis h La w . p p . 2 2 ,2 3 V . I .

73 . Kem ble. Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I . p . 265 .

74 . K em ble . Saxons I n E n g la n d . V o l. I . p . 239 .

75 . Kem ble. Saxons in En g la n d . V o l. I . p . 240 .

7 5 . E a d g a r. P a r t 2 . S e c t. 6 .

A e th e lre d . S e c t. I .

77 . Kem ble. Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I . p . 25 0 .

7 8 . Kem ble. Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I . p . 252 .

7 9 . K em ble. Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. 1 . p . 252 .

8 0 . Germs and D eve lopm ents o f the Laws o f E n g la n d . p . 13 2 -4 0 .

8 1 . A e th e lre d . Sect . 6 .

82 . A l f r e d . C hurch Socns. Sec t . 2 .

83 . A l f r e d Church Socns. S e c t. 3 .

8 4 . A l f r e d . Church S ocns. S e c t. 5 .

85 . H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 1 4 .

8 6 . I n i . S e c t. 1 5 .

87 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 3 8 .

88 . A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 2 9 .

8 9 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 6 .

9 0 . P o l lo c k and M a it la n d . H is to r y o f E n g lis h Law . p p . 31 , 32 .

91 . A l f r e d . Sec t . 1 9 .

9 2 . A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 1 8 ,1 9 ,2 0 .

9 3 . C n u t. S e c t. 7 6 .

C n u t. P a r t 2 . S e c t. 75 .

94 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 1 .

9 5 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 2 3 .

9 6 . A l f r e d . Sect . 2 4 .

9 7 . I n i . S e c t. 4 2 .

9 8 . A l f r e d Pa r t 2 . S e c t. 3 6 .

99 . A l f r e d . S e c t. 1 9 .

1 0 0 . A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 3 9 ,4 0 ,41 , 42 .

1 0 1 . A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 4 5 ,4 6 ,4 7 .

102. A e th e lb e r t . S e c t. 51 .

1 0 3 . A e th e lb e r t . Sect . 54 .

10 4 . Wih t r a e d . S e c t. 6 .

1 0 5 . Eadmund. E c c le s ia s t ic a l . S e c t. 1 .

1 0 6 .Eadmund. E c c le s ia s t ic a l . S e c t . 4 .

1 0 7 .A e th e lr e d . P a r t 6 . S e c t. 39 .

1 0 8 .W ih tra e d . S e c t. 3 .

1 0 9 .W ih tra e d . S e c t. 6 .

1 1 0 .A l f r e d . S e c t . 2 5 .

1 1 1 . A l f r e d . S e c t . 25 .

1 1 2 .A e th e l r e d . Pa r t 6. S e c t. 39 .

1 1 3 . A l f r e d and Gu th ru m . S e c t .

1 1 4 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t . 3 1 .

1 1 5 .A l f r e d and Gu t h r um. S e c t. 4 .

116.Eadmund. S e c t. 4 .

117.H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 1 1 .

1 1 8 .A l f r e d . P a r t 2 . S e c t . 32 .

1 1 9 .E a d g a r. S e c t. 4 .

1 2 0 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 1 0 .

1 2 1 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 2 5 .

T22.Eadmund. S e c t . 6 .

1 2 3 .A l f r e d . S e c t. 3 3 .

12 4 .A e th e ls ta n .

1 2 5 .A e th e ls ta n .

1 2 6 .Kem ble . Saxons in E n g la n d . v o l . 2 . p . 50 .

12 7 . I n i . S e c t. 6 .

128 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 3 .

12 9 . A l f r e d . S e c t . 13 ,1 4 , 15 .

13 0 .F lo re n c e o f W o rc e s te r . Ch r o l . 897 A .D .

1 3 1 .A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n ic le . C hron . 993 A .P .

132 .A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n ic le . C h ron . 1006 A .P .

1 3 3 .C nu t. S e c t. 3 0 .

1 3 4 . A l f r e d . Pa r t 2 . S e c t . 32 .

1 3 5 .C n u t. S e c t. 54 .

1 3 6 .Eadmund. S e c t. 6 .

1 3 7 .P e o p le ’ s Law and Rank. S e c t. I .

1 3 8 .K em b le . Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I I p . 252 .

1 3 9 .E dw ard. Doom and S u i t .

140 .Ea d g a r . P a r t 3 . S e c t. 7 .

C nu t. Pa r t 2 . S e c t. 33 .

141 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 20 .

1 4 2 .Kem ble . Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I p .2 7 1 .

I n i . S e c t. 9 .

1 4 3 .S tu b b s . S e le c t C h a r te rs . pp . 1 0 .

1 4 4 .Kem ble . Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I . p . 255.

1 4 5 .K em ble. Saxo ns in E ng la n d . V o l. I . p . 256 .

1 4 6 .P o l lo c k an d M a it la n d . H is to r y o f E n g lis h Law. p p . 16 .

14 7 .Ead w a rd . S e c t. 2 .

148 .E adw ard . S e c t. 4 .

1 4 9 .A e th e lre d . S e c t. 12 .

1 5 0 .Wih t r a e d . S e c t. 16 -2 0 .

1 5 1 .H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 5 .

1 5 2 .Pol l o c k and M a it la n d . H is to r y o f E n g lis h L aw.

1 5 3 .W ih tra e d . S e c t. 21 .

1 5 4 .D u n -S e ta s . S e c t. 8 .

1 5 5 .C n u t. S e c t. 5*

1 5 6 .c n u t . S e c t. 5 .

157 . E a d g a r. S e c t. I .

1 5 8 .H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 16 .

1 5 9 .A e th e lre d . Pa r t 2 . S e c t. 9 .

16 0 . I n i . S e c t. 53 .

1 6 1 . A l f r e d . Pa r t 1 . S e c t. 1 - 8 .

1 6 2 . E th e l r e d . Par t 3 . S e c t. 6 .

163 .E dw ard th e c o n fe s s o r . S e c t. 9 .

1 6 4 .Edward th e Co n fe s s o r . S e c t. 3 .

165 .E dw ard .

1 6 6 .E a d g a r.

1 6 7 .A e th e ls ta n . S e c t. 2 3 .

1 6 8 .Cn u t . S e c t. 3 0 .

1 6 9 .K em b le . Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. 2 . p . 4 5 .

17 0 .V in o g r a d o f f . The G row th o f th e M anor. P. 193 .

1 7 1 .Vin o g r a d o f f . The G row th o f th e Man o r . P . 193.

1 7 2 .H lo th h a e re . S e c t. 1 0 .

173 .E dw ard and G uthrum . S e c t. 9 .

SOCIAL RANK IN ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND.

P e rs o n a l ra n k i n A n g lo -S a xo n E ng la n d was in s e p a ra b ly c o n ­

n e c te d w i th la n d h o ld in g , f o r a p e rs o n ’ s s o c ia l s ta n d in g depend­

ed upon th e am ount o f la n d he h e ld . A man c o u ld , a c c o rd in g to

Schm id, have a l l th e m arks o f a 12 hynde man, b u t i f he d id

n o t have th e la n d , he was b u t a c e o r l . So th e s o c ia l c la s s ­

e s , and th e h o ld in g o f la n d can be t r e a te d i n one c h a p te r .

The e a r ly K e n t is h la w re c o g n iz e d th re e m a in c la s s e s each

o f w h ic h was d iv id e d in t o th re e g ra d e s . The d i s t i n c t i o n

seems to have been made f o r th e pu rp o se s o f e s t im a t in g p e rs o n a l

ra n k and t r i b a l q u a l i f i c a t io n s w ith o u t m aking d i s t i n c t i o n o f

w e a lth o r c o n n e c t io n s w i th r o y a l t y . S e c t io n 16 o f

A e th e lb e r t ’ s la w names " b i r e le s ” o r c u p b e a re rs o f th e f i r s t ,

second, and t h i r d c la s s ; w h i le t s e c t io n i l l m e n tio n s g r in d in g

s la v e s o f th e f i r s t and t h i r d c la s s . So th e "rnund ” o f th e

b e s t e a r lc u n d w idow was 50 s c i l l i n g s ; second ra n k 2 0 s c . ; and

t h i r d ra n k 12 s c i l l i n g s . ( 2 ) . The m a in d iv is io n s i n Wessex

w ere c e o r l , fre e m a n , and th a n e . ( 3 ) . B e low th e s e c la s s e s were

th e u n fre e and th e theowmen o r s la v e s .

An e x p la n a t io n o f th e te rm s used i n d e s c r ib in g th e d

c la s s e s w i l l do away w ith c o n fu s io n . The n a tu r a l d iv i s io n

o f f r e e and u n f re e w h ich f i r s t e x is te d i n th e s in g le f a m i ly ,

p e r s is te d th ro u g h o u t th e w ho le A n g lo -S a xo n p e r io d , b u t w i t h in

th e f r e e c la s s e s were 12 hynde , 6 hynde and 2 hynde men; th e re

w ere th a n e s , fre em e n and c e o r ls . So in A e l f r e d ’ s la w a man

was s a id to be ’’ g e s ith c u n d ” c la s s . Among th e u n fre e w ere

th e g e b u rs , c o t t e r te n a n ts , and theowmen o r s la v e s .

C h ie f among a l l freem en was th e h la f o r d i n Wessex and

th e e a r l i n K e n t. The h la f o r d who had c e r t a in j u r i s d i c t i o n a l

pow er o v e r h is men c a r r ie d o v e r in a la r g e s c a le th e p a t r i ­

a r c h a l j u r i s d i c t i o n o f th e p r iv a t e f a m i ly . I n I n i ' s la w , he

was th e p r o te c t io n o f th e freem en o f th e lo w e r deg ree who d id

n o t own la n d s? he was p a tro n to th e u n d e r l in g s . He supp lem ent

ed th e k in d re d f o r th e p r o te c t io n o f c r im in a ls a g a in s t v io le n c e

and c o l le c t e d a sh a re o f th e f in e s r a is e d f o r b re a ch e s o f

peace . ( 4 ) . The h la f o r d had p o l ic e pow ers , f o r he was bound

to s u p p o r t th e governm en t b y w a tc h in g th e c o n d u c t o f h is

c l i e n t s and p ro d u c in g them when th e re was need o f i t b e fo re

th e c o u r ts . ( 5 ) . The h la f o r d e n jo y e d h ig h e r p r iv e le g s th a n the

fre em e n , f o r he to o k p a r t i n th e W ita n w h i le h is c la s s e xe cu te d

th e g e n e ra l w i l l . ( 6 ) . Prom h is c la s s was chosen ju d g e , p r ie s t

and K in g , and th e te n de n cy fro m th e e a r l i e s t p e r io d was f o r the

n o t i le man to r i s e and th e freem an to d im in is h i n th e same p ro ­

p o r t io n . ( 7 ) . The fo r c e s th a T le a d to le a d e r s h ip in th e n o b le

c la s s were th e n a tu r a l d e s ire f o r le a d e r s h ip , d e s t r u c t io n o f

th e t i e s o f k in d re d r e s u l t in g i n th e r i s e o f in d iv id u a l lo r d s ,

and th e g o v e rn m e n ta l p o l ic y in p o l ic e and lo c a l m a t te rs . ( 8 ) .

T h is c la s s was re s p o n s ib le f o r th e p e rs is te n c e o f Roman e s ta te s

in E n g lis h cus tom . The lo r d s were th e h o ld e rs o f v a s t t r a c t s

o f l a n d ; (9 ) th e y s y s te m a tiz e d th e n a tu r a l d iv is io n s o f f r e e and

th e u n fre e so t h a t b y th e D an ish p e r io d th e re were t ra c e s o f

" n u l l e t e r r e sans s e ig n e u r” . (1 0 ) . The la w s a s s is s te d th e

lo r d s b y e s ta b l is h in g a ” la n d r ic a ” o v e r f r e e and s e r v i le

p o p u la t io n . ( 1 1 ) . By th e 1 1 th c e n tu ry th e ave ra g e E ng lishm an

had a j u r i s d i c t i o n a l l o r d o v e r h im . (1 2 ) . The a r i s t o c r a t i c

s u p e rs t r u c tu re s l a i d as e a r ly as A e th e lb e r t 's r e ig n were f a v o r ­

ed by la w s and custom s as w e l l as th e n a tu r a l a p t i tu d e f o r

le a d e r s h ip .

The h ig h e s t c la s s o f freem en n e x t to th e lo r d s was th e

th e g n o r W ig h t . T h is c la s s i s known in th e Wessex la w s as

g e s ith c u n d and 12 h yn d e . The a ve rag e g e s ith c u n d man o r th e g n •

h e ld 1 0 .h id e s o f la n d , though n o t a l l ge s ithcun d ra en w ere la n d ­

h o ld e r s , f o r b y s e c t io n 51 o f I n i ' s la w s a g e s ith c u n d man n o t

h o ld in g la n d was bound to a t te n d th e ” f y r d . ” Some o f th e

q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r th e s ta tu s o f th e g n w ere a c o a t o f m a i l , a

h e m le t, and o v e rg e ld e d sw ord . The s e rv ic e s o f th e th e g n ,

a c c o rd in g to th e R e c t i tu d in e s S in g u la ru m P ersonarum w ere to

accom pany th e K in g on h is m i l i t a r y e x p e d it io n s , to a id in th e

b u i ld in g o f c a s t le s and " b r i g b o te ” . Thé th a ne was a s o ld ie r

f i r s t and a la n d lo r d second, f o r i f he f a i l e d to a t te n d th e

” f y r d ” he l o s t h is la n d . (1 5 ) . As la n d lo r d , he had to make

p r o v is io n s f o r th e c u l t i v a t i o n o f th e la n d . I f he had 20

h id e s o f la n d , 12 were to be ” g e s e t te s M; i f he had 10 h id e s ,

6 were to be ” g e s e t te s ” . He fu r n is h e d th e te n a n t and upon the

te n a n t 's d e a th a l l r e v e r te d to th e th a n e . (1 4 ) . A ls o th e t \ i

th e g n was a c o u r t ie r and had d i r e c t r e la t io n s h ip w i th th e K in g

b y d o in g s e r v ic e f o r h im in th e h a l l . ( 1 5 ) . As a g e n t f o r th e

go ve rn m e n t, he was a s o r t o f p o te n ta te in lo c a l a f f a i r s where ♦

he r u le d h is dependen ts and p e a sa n t n e ig h b o rs in m a tte rs o f

j u s t i c e and p o l ic e . (1 6 ) .

The s i x hynde man ap pea rs in A e l f r e d 's la w as a la n d ­

h o ld e r . ( 1 7 ) . He was a s t ro n g e r in b lo o d and was d e s c r ib e d

as ww e a lth " ; E . , one o f th o s e n o t re c o g n iz e d as o f A n g lo -S a xo n

b lo o d . The "w e a lh " be s e c t io n 24 o f I n i ' s la w became s i x

hynde when a c q u ire d 5 h id e s o f la n d ; t h a t i s , b y a c q u ir in g

th e la n d , he moved h a l f way up th e s o c ia l s c a le w i th a w e r­

g i l d one h a l f t h a t o f th e th e g n . The e x p la n a t io n o f one

h a l f w er g i l d s and 6 hyn de , a c c o rd in g to Seebolm , i s fo u n d on

th e c o n t in e n t . U nder th e Lex S a l ic a , th e G a llo Roman, a s t r q n g -

e r i n b lo o d , had a "w e r" one h a l f th a t o f th e In g e n iu s . I t is

c le a r t h a t h a l f w e rg i ld s were e x ta n t upon th e c o n tin e tu T and i t

i s v e ry p ro b a b le t h a t th e A n g lo -S a xon custom had i t s o r i g i n i n

th e e a r l i e r c o n t in e n ta l sys tem .

0 The c e o r l and th e 2 hynde man w ere th e same. A l f r e d 's

la w o f s e c t io n 10 and 18 d e s c r ib e th e c e o r l as th e s m a lle s t o f

th e la n d h o ld e rs ; in s e c t io n s 29 , 30 , and 31 th e s m a lle s t la n d ­

h o ld e r i s spoken o f as two hynde , So a c c o rd in g to th e la w

th e c e o r l and th e two hynde man were th e same in re g a rd to

la n d h o ld in g , and s in c e th e two hynde man was a g a fo l p a y in g

te n a n t , i t f o l lo w s th a t th e c e o r l was g a fo l p a y in g . T h is

c la s s w i l l be f u l l y d is c u s s e d i n th e system o f la n d h o ld in g .

% D if fe r e n c e s i n la n d h o ld in g made r e a l d i s t i n c t i o n s in the

m i l i t a r y o f th e A n g lo -S a xo n . The h o ld e rs o ff 5 h id e s made up

th e s ta n d in g a rm y. (1 7 ) . The v i r g a t e r s o £ b o v a te rs made up th e

" f y r d " , a cum brous and s lo w body use d f o r lo c a l s e r v ic e . (1 8 ) .

And r i g h t h e re in th e r i s e o f th e la n d e d m i l i t a r y , th e s e p a ra ­

t io n o f th e m i l i t a r y and la b o r in g c la s s e s to o k p la c e . ( 1 9 ) .

The w a r r io r c la s s ro s e w h i le th e v i r g a t e r s became more and

more l i k e la b o u r e r s ; th e y l o s t t h e i r c h a ra c te r as s o ld ie r s and

became i d e n t i f i e d w i th th e la n d . ( 2 0 ) .

The "com es” o r " g e s id " , d e s c r ib e d as th e m i l i t a r y b y

K em ble, was a body o f the yo u n g e r sons o f n o b le s who were g iv e n

fo o d and ra im e n t b y th e K in g who became to them "b eag a b r y t t a " ,

o r "beah. g i f a " (2 1 ) . The r e la t i o n o f t h i s body to th e K in g

was f e a l t y ; th e id e a o f freedom gave way to th e id e a o f h o n o u r.

( 2 2 ) . The p r o p e r ty h e ld b y th e "com es" c o n s is te d o f h o rs e s

and weapons w h ic h were "h e re g e a tw e " , - th e m odern h e r i o t . ( 2 3 ) .

The f r e e c la s s e s in A n g lo -S a xo n E n g la n d were n o t i n f l e x ­

i b l e f o r e v e ry a c q u is i t io n o f la n d a f f e c te d a c o r re s p o n d in g

r i s e i n s c c ia l p o s i t io n . (2 4 ) . The h o ld in g o f one h id e moved

th e "w e a lh " up to th e c e o r l is c c la s s ; f i v e h id e s r a is e d th e

E ng lish m a n to 12 hynde and th e W e lis c man to s ix h ynde , w h i le

b o th were re n d e re d fo l lo w e r s o f th e K in g b y d i r e c t s e r v ic e . (2 5 )

The th e g n who th ro v e so th a t he s e rv e d th e K in g and ro d e w i th

th e K in g 's h o u s e h o ld , i f he th e n had a th e g n who fo l lo w e d

h im to th e K in g 's " h u t " and had f i v e h id e s o f la n d and

who s e rv e d th e K in g in th e h a l l^ a n d w en t th re e t im e s v / i th h is

e rrand* to th e K in g m ig h t t h e r e a f t e r re p re s e n t th e K in g b y h is

fo r e o a th o r v a r io u s needs and h is p l a in t l a w f u l l y co n d u c t

w h e re v e r h e a u g h t . (2 6 ) . The th e g n who th ro v e so th a t he

became an e a r l was w o rth y o f e a r l r i g h t s . (2 7 ) . A l f r e d in ­

c re a s e d th e num ber o f thegn s b y c o n fe r r in g th e g n p r i v i l e g s and

e n fo rc in g th e o b l ig a t io n s o f thegnhood upon a l l owners o f f i v e

h id e s o f la n d . (2 8 ) . The c e o r l 'w h o p ro s p e re d so t h a t he

had f u l l y f i v e h id e s o f la n d , a c h u rc h , o r K in g 's h a l l , b e l l

house and wb u rh g e a t" was w o rth y o f th e g n r i g h t . (2 9 ) .

B u t even though a c e o r l th ro v e so th a t he had a h e m le t,

a c o a t o f m a i l , and a sw ord o rnam ented w i th g o ld , i f he d id

n o t have th e la n d he was n e v e r th e le s s a c e o r l . So i f th e

sons o r g rand so ns o f a c e o r l p ro p s p e re d so t h a t th e y had th e

la n d , th e y were to be g e s ith c u n d . (5 0 ) .

B e fo re p a s s in g to th e u n fre e c la s s e s we w i l l n o te th e

p r o v is io n s made f o r th e r e la t io n s h ip o f man and w i f e . A lth o u g h

th e s p e a r and s p in d le d i s t i n c t i o n was made e a r ly i n A n g lo - ’............

Saxon h i s t o r y , and a lth o u g h s o c ie ty f o r a woman as f a r as

she re p re s e n te d b y a man, y e t th e re i s a body o f la w re c o g -A *O 'n iz in g c e r t a in r i g h t s in th e d o m e s tic r e la t io n s . M a rr ia g e

i n K e n t was a f a i r bona f i d e c o n t r a c t be tw een th e k in d re d . The

la w o rd a in e d t h a t i f a man b o u g h t a m a id , th e p u rch a se was to

s ta n d i f he m a de^w ith bona f id e s , b u t i f th e re was g u i le , he

was to b r in g h e r home a g a in and g e t h is money b a c k . ( 3 1 ) . So

i f a man c a r r ie d o f f a m a id b y fo r c e he was to pay a heavy f in e

and a f te rw a rd s b u y th e woman fro m h e r ow ner. (3 2 ) . I f she was

b e t r o th e d to a n o th e r in money he made ” h o t ” in 20 s c . ( 3 3 ) .

I n i o rd a in e d t h a t i f a man b o u g h t a w i fe and th e m a rr ia g e d id

n o t ta k e p la c e th a t he was to make wb o t * '. ( 3 4 ) . He who b e t r o th

ed a woman gave s e c u r i t y f o r k e e p in g h e r a c c o rd in g to G od 's la w

as a husband s h o u ld h is w i fe . ( 3 5 ) . The b r id e g ro o m d e c la re d

w ha t he w ou ld g r a n t th e w ife i f she chose h is w i l l and w hat

he w ou ld g r a n t h e r i f she l i v e d lo n g e r th a n he l i v e d . (3 6 ) .

T h is a g re e d , she was p r e s e n t ly e n t i t l e d to one h a l f th e p ro p ­

e r t y and to a l l i f th e y had c h ild re n ^ p r o v id in g she d id n o t

m a rry a g a in . (3 7 ) . I t was a ls o to be lo o k e d in t o b e fo re

m a rr ia g e t h a t th e c o n t r a c t in g p a r t i e s , th ro u g h k in s h ip ,w e re h o t

to o n e a r ly a l l i e d . (3 8 ) . A t th e n u p t ia l ce rem o n ies th e re was

b y la w , i n th e 1 1 th c e n tu ry , a m a s s -p r ie s t who w ith G od 's b le s s

in g bound th e u n io n to a l l p r o p s p e r i t y . (3 9 ) .

The w idow had h e r pe rm anen t dower i n goods, and h e r

m a r ita g iu m g iv e n to h e r b y w r i t t e n ddeds o r p ro v e d b y th e

p r o d u c t io n o f w itn e s s e s . She had h e r "m o rg e n g y f t” and a t h i r d

p a r t o f a l l j o i n t a c q u is i t io n s b e s id e s h e r c lo th e s and h e r bed,

b u t she re c e iv e d n o th in g f o r w hat had been consumed in c h a r i t y? ‘ " .

o r common n e c e s s ity . (4 0 ) . I n K e n t is h ’ la w , th e w idow in case

o f is s u e , r e c e iv e d one h a l f o f th e p r o p e r ty . (4 1 ) . C nut made

a la w r e q u i r in g e v e ry w idow to re m a in u n m a rr ie d f o r a tw e lv e

m onth of\. p a in o f f o r f e i t i n g h e r "m o rg e n g y fu " and a l l h e r p ro p ­

e r t y b y h e r f i r s t husband. And even i f she were ta k e n b y fo rc e

y e t u n le s s she was w i l l i n g to go home a g a in fro m th e man, she

was to f o r f e i t . ( 4 2 ) . I n case th e m a r r ie d woman d ie d b e fo re

h e r husband , th e p ro p e r ty t h a t she b ro u g h t and t h a t g iv e n h e r

b y h e r husband w en t ba ck to h e r p a te r n a l r e la t i v e s . (4 3 ) .

The c h i l d i n A ng lo -S a xon la w was g iv e n in t o th e c u s to d y

o f th e m o th e r and th e g u a rd ia n s h ip o f th e p a te rn a l k in . I f

a husband d ie d , w ith ; w i fe and c h i ld l i v i n g , th e c h i ld fo l lo w e d

th e m o th e r and s u f f i c i e n t g u a rd to keep h is p r o p e r ty u n t i l he

was 10 y e a rs o f age was k e p t b y th e p a te r n a l k in d re d . (4 4 ) .

I n i gave th e c h i l d to th e m o th e r who was to re c e iv e 6 s . f o r

f o s t e r in g i t , a n d a cow in summer^and an ox i n w in te r . (4 5 ) .

Widows were n o t to be in ju r e d on p a in o f d e a th . (4 6 ) . Theyhad

a re a s o n a b le t im e in w h ich to pay h e r io t s and i f th e head o f

th e f a m i ly f e l l on th e f i e l d o f b a t t l e i n th e p re se n ce o f h is

lo r d , h e r io t s w ere e n t i r e l y excused . (4 7 ) .

The f a t h e r had a b s o lu te c o n t r o l o f th e c h i l d even to i t s

l i f e . So i t f o l lo w s he c o u ld s e l l i t i n t o s la v e r y . ( 4 8 ) . L a te

i n th e A n g lo -S a x o n p e r io d , th e s e l l i n g o f c h i ld r e n in t o bond­

age was so p r e v a le n t th a t i t was le g is la t e d a g a in s t . (4 9 ) . I n

la w th e c h i l d fo l lo w e d th e f a t h e r j u s t as i t does i n common

la w to - d a y . So i f a w ife re tu rn e d to h e r k in d re d she c o u ld

n o t ta k e th e c h i ld r e n i f th e husband w an ted them . (5 0 ) . S tep

c h i ld r e n , w ere p r o te c te d fro m i n ju r y b u t i l l e g im a t e c h i ld r e n

c o u ld be s o ld in t o bondage. (5 1 ) . The w er f o r an i l le g im a t e

c h i ld was p a id to th e lo r d s and th e K in g , f o r th e i l le g im a t e <\ ..

c h i l d was n f c l l iu s f i l i u s . (5 2 ) .

The c la s s e s o f th e u n fre e c o n s is te d i n th e g a fo l p a y in g

te n a n ts , w h ic h w i l l be d e s c r ib e d in th e c h a p te r on la n d h o ld in g s

and th e theow o r s la v e . The s la v e s w ere b y fo r tu n e o f w a r;m

s la v e s because o f b a n k ru p tc y ,a n d s la v e s ex n a tu r a . ( 5 3 ) .

L ib e r t y was f o r f e i t e d f o r c r im e s , and in w a r, th e v i c t o r had

th e r i g h t to th e l i f e o f th e v a n q u is h e d . So he had a r i g h t to

th e p e rs o n o f th e v a n q u is h e d . (5 4 ) . The w i te theow was a p e r * :

so n ' who had once been f r e e , b u t who fro m d e b t and c a la m ity

had sunk in t o th ra ld o m . So f o r f e i t u r e o f a l l p o s s e s s io n s

le d to s e r v i t u d e . ( 5 5 ) .

I n c o n te m p la t io n o f la w th e s la v e was much l i k e a c h a t­

t e l . The l o r d c o l le c t e d damages i f h is s la v e were in ju r e d o r

s la in . I f th e lo r d s le w h is s la v e , i t was h is own l o s s . (5 6 ) .

The s la v e s w ere c u l t i v a t o r s , sh e p h e rd s , ploughm en and g o a t -

h e rd e rs . These do n o t seem to burdensom e o c c u p a t io n s b u t

A e l f r i c i n h is d ia lo g u e s has th e theow s a y , i n re g a rd to h isvJ

w o rk , MM ic e l g e d e o r f h i t y s M.

The common mode o f d e a lin g w i th th e c r im in a l s la v e s was

to t u r n h im o v e r to th e o ffe n d e d k in . The owner o f th e s la v e

t h a t had m u rde red was d u ty bound to s e t h im f r e e and hand h im

o v e r to th e o ffe n d e d k in d re d . (5 7 ) . I f a " w i te theow* s le w

an E ng lish m an th e owner d e l iv e r e d h im up and gave 60 s c . f o r

h is l i f e . I f th e owner w ou ld n o t g iv e t h a t sum f o r th e s la v e ,

he was o b l ig e d to e n fra n c h is e h im . (5 8 ) . I n I n i , , th e ” w i te

theow” who s to le h im s le f away was to be hanged and n o th in g was

to b e p a id to th e lo r d . I f anyone s le w th e " w i t e theow” n o th ­

in g was done to th e k in d re d u n le s s th e y redeemed h im w i t h in

12 ^months. ( 5 9 ) . S in ce th e s la v e c o u ld n o t pay money f o r

h is p e t t y c r im e s , he p a id in h is h id e w i th th e la s h . (6 0 ) .

F o r t h e f t , men s la v e s m ig h t be f lo g g e d to d e a th ; th e women

m ig h t be b u rn e d . (6 1 ) . Where a g ro u p o f s la v e s had c o m m itt­

ed a c r im e , one o f th e f r o u p , chosen b y l o t , s u f fe r e d f o r th e

s in s o f a l l . ( 6 2 ) .

The s la v e had no p a r t i n th e s e lf -g o v e rn m e n t o f th e

p e o p le . He c o u ld n o t own p r o p e r ty , e i t h e r b y a c q u is i t io n o r

b y in h e r i t a n c e . (6 3 ) .

The l a t e r la w c o n c e rn in g th e d la v e was d e c id e d ly hum ani­

t a r ia n . I n I n i , a l l men o f Wessex were o rd e re d n o t to s e l l a

coun trym an beyond th e seas even tho u g h he be a s la v e o r j u s t l y

condemned to s la v e r y . C h r is t ia n men b y A e th e lr e d 's and C n u t's

la w were n o t to be s o ld to th e h e a th e n . (6 4 ) . A l f r e d s e t o u t

a t s e c t io n 11 th a t i f anyone b o u g h t a C h r is t ia n s la v e , th e

s la v e was to s e rv e 6 y e a rs and th e n be f o l k f r e e , b u t i f he

w ish e d to s ta y w i th h is lo r d , th e th e o w 's e a r was to b o re d

th ro u g h and th ro u g h in ta k e n o f h is s la v e r y . The ch u rc h g o t

a r e s p i t e f o r th e s la v e on th e S abba th and on h ig h c h u rc h

f e s t i v i t i e s . ( 6 5 ) . The l o r d who c o m p e lle d h is s la v e to w ork

be tw een s u n s e t on S a tu rd a y and s u n s e t on Sunday f o r f e i t e d th e

s la v e , (6 6 ) , who became f o l k f r e e . (67 )« A l f r e d gave th e S lave

th e power to b e qu e a th w h a te v e r p r o p e r ty had been g iv e n h im f o r

God*s sake o r t h a t he may have ea rne d in h is m om entary le is u r e .

(6 8 ) . I n th e la t e Saxon p e r io d th e s la v e c o u ld b u y h is own %

fre e d o m . (6 9 ) . A t h i r d p a r ty c o u ld bu y h im f o r m a num iss io n .

(7 0 ) .

W hoever gave freedom to h is man a t th e a l t a r made h is

man f o l k f r e e , b u t th e fre edom g iv e r k e p t th e w e r g i ld and th e

mund o f th e s la v e . (7 1 ) . The a c t o f e m a n c ip a tio n was a t f i r s t

co m p le te d i n th e p re sen ce o f th e com m unity so t h a t a l l

c la im s to th e freedm an were e s to p p e d . ( 7 2 ) . L a te r th e a c t o f

e m a n c ip a tio n was done a t th e a l t a r . ( 7 3 ) . A l l o c i v i l r i g h t s

d id n o t f o l lo w e m a n c ip a tio n , f o r th e lo r d k e p t th e in h e r ita n c e ^

th e wer g i ld , a n d th e “ mundM o f th e e m an c ip a te d s la v e . ( 7 4 ) . As

l a t e as th e t im e o f th e Norman c o n q u e s t, a la d y ( ie a t f la e d a

d i r e c te d th e m anum iss ion o f th o se o f h e r s la v e s who had b e n t

th e fc r heads i n th e e v i l day. (7 5 ) .

2 . LAND HOLDINGS IN ANGLO SAXON ENGLAND.

The e a r l i e s t la n d h o ld in g s i n A n g lo -S a xo n E n g la n d was in

common u n d e r th e A ng lo -S a xon com m un ity , h u t i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c

te n d e n c ie s and th e la x s o c ia l o r g a n iz a t io n s i n o ld E n g lis h

s o c ie ty le d to in e q u a l i t ie s in th e h o ld in g o f th e la n d . ( 1 ) .

The la w t r i e d to p re v e n t th e i n d i v i d u a l i s t i c te n d e n c ie s b y h o ld

in g th e t r i b e to g e th e r and b y th e fo r m a t io n o f g u i ld s as sub­

s t i t u t e s f o r k in d re d s , ( 2 ) , b u t th e system o f p a tro n a g e w h ich

had s ta r te d e a r ly p e r s is te d and f lo u r is h e d . ( 3 ) . The h la f o r d

as e a r ly as I n i was g iv e n man money. ( 4 ) . So th e h la f o r d was

d u ty bound to a c t f o r h is man. T h is showed a r e la t io n s h ip o f

l o r d and man. ( 5 ) . T h is r e la t i o n r e q u ir e d a f i x e d system on

a c c o u n t o f a l l s o r ts o f m a te r ia l o b l ig a t io n ^ W ith th e s t a r t

o f 4th e sys tem , p a tro n a g e s t r u c k r o o t and d e ve lo p e d in t o a l a s t ­

in g lo r d s h ip o v e r freem en and t h e i r la n d s . ( 6 ) . O th e r te n d ­

e n c ie s to w a rd p a tro n a g e and th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f in e q u a l i t ie s

were th e c h u rc h , ( 7 ) , and th e i n s t i t u t i o n o f a r i s t o c r a c t i c

s o e ie ty ona t e r r i t o r i a l b a s is . ( 8 ) . P a t r im o n ia l j u s t i c e

was fo u n d e d e a r ly , th e h o u s e h o ld e r w i t h in h is own c lo s e had;

c o - e r c iv e pow ers o v e r a l l who d w e lt t h e r e in ; th e lo r d w i t h in

h®$ own dom ains had c o - e r c iv e and j u d i c i a l power o v e r who

d w e lt th e re o n . ( 9 ) . So w ib h th e in c re a s e o f th e p e a sa n t c la s s

on th e lo r d s e s ta te s c a u e ^ f.a n in c re a s e o f le g a l b u s in e s s ' f o r

m a n o r ia l c o u r t^ a n d th e d i r e c t p re fe rm e n t o f th e p r e s c r ip t iv e

use o f sac and soc in c re a s e d th e a p p l ic a t io n o f p a t r ia c h a l

j u r i s d i c t i o n . ( 1 0 ) .

B e fo re p ro c e e d in g w i th th e wham" o r manor we w i l l s e t

o u t b r i e f l y th e common fo rm o f la n d h o ld in g . The o ld e s t fo rm

was th e m a rk , th e com m unity o f h o u s e h o ld e rs i n a v o lu n ta r y

a s s o c ia t io n f o r th e pu rpose o f c u l t i v a t i n g th e l a n d . ( 1 1 ) .

The e a r l i e s t A ng lo -S a xo n com m unity was bound to th e s o i l as a

c o n d i t io n in d e s p e n s ib le to th e e n jo ym e n t o f fre em e n p r iv i le g e s .

(1 2 ) . T h is m ark was fo l lo w e d b y th e wtu n s h ip M, a more com pact

f i s c a l u n i t , made up fa m ilie s . The tu n s h ip was a f i s c a l p o - '

l i c e u n i t t h a t i n l a t e r A n g lo -S a xo n tim e s became th e u n i t f o r

th e paym ent o f re venue and th e m a in te n an ce o f th e peace. I t

wasJ lo o k e d upon as a t e r r i t o r i a l u n i t made up o f Mh ie v is c s M

o r h id e s . ( I S ) . So t r i b u t e was im posed upon th e s h ir e s fro m

above ; th e n p a r t i t io n e d among th e h u n d re d s ,a n d f i n a l l y a p p o r t ­

io n e d ‘among th e s h ir e s . (1 4 ) . H idage and D anege ld were c ru s h ­

in g b u rd e n s t h a t f i n a l l y r e s te d upon th e to w n s h ip among th e

sh a re h o ld e r s i n th e !s c o t and l o t . ( 1 5 ) . The p r o p r ie ta r y and

econom ic h o ld in g s in th e to w n s h ip was sh a re h o ld in g . The

sha res were o rg a n ic p a rfe th a t s to o d in : o rg a n ic r e la t io n s h ip

to th e co m p o s ite u n i t y o f th e “ tu n ” . ( 1 6 ) . The * 'tu n H was in

f a c t a num ber o f e q u a l sha res c a l le d h id e s a rra n g e d in h id e s ,

h a l f h id e s and v i r g a te s and q u a te r h id e s o r b o v a te s . ( 1 7 ) .

The e a r ly h id e was n o t a measure o f la n d f o r i t was tocu

v a r ia b le . I t was f i s c a l u n i t and was c a l le d Mw er h id e ” andAMg e ld hide** as d is t in g u is h e d fro m th e r e a l h id e . (1 8 ) . So

an e s ta te m ig h t have p a id g e ld enough f o r o n ly one t h i r d o f a

h id e and n o t have been composed o f la n d enough f o r f i v e p lo ughs .

(1 9 ) . The governm en t p la c e d so many h id e s upon a d i s t r i c t and

le n g th e n e d o r in c re a s e d - th e b u rd e n o f t a x a t io n w i th th e h id e as

th e o f f i c i a l f i s c a l u n i t . ( 2 0 ) . The f i e l d h id e was th e o r ig ­

in a l f a m i ly h o ld in g . The u n i t f o r th e s in g le h o u s e h o ld in th e

Domeday b o o k , th e n o rm a l h id e , was 120 a c re s . The o c c a s io n a l

m e n tio n o f h id e s among th e hu nd red b y Bede p re s e n ts s in g le

in s ta n c e s . ( 2 1 ) . The a p p o r t io n m e n t was made a c c o rd in g to th e

a c tu a l a g r a r ia n fa c t s and th e h id e , h a l f h id e , v i r g a t e and

b o v a te were a c tu a l t e r r i t o r i a l u n i t s . (2 2 ) . An a c re was th e

square m easure o f th e f i e l d ; th e b o v a te was th e sh a re e q u a l to

th e w ork o f one ox in th e team o f a p lo u g h , th e ttyokeM p o in te d

to th e w ork o f fo u r ox a b re a s t and th e a c re s t i l l e d b y them .j>

The b o v a te and y a rd la n d d e s ig n a te d th e h o ld in g o f th e p e a s a n t.

The h id e was th e u n i t o f o w n e rs h ip . (2 3 ) . Reckoned I n

th e w ork o f ox team s, th e h id e was o n ly s l i g h t l y v a r ia b le w h ile

i f spoken o f i n te rm s o f a h o u s e h o ld i t v a r ie d much in s i z e . (24

Bede, in MT r ib a l H idage” a docum ent much o f th e same n a tu re

as th e Domesday B ook, spoke o f a g r e a te r num ber o f h id e s th a n

th e re w ere i n th e tim e o f Domesday. These two o f f i c i a l t e s t s

show t h a t th e h id e tende d to be come s m a lle r as th e p o p u la t io n

in c re a s e d ,a lth o u g h in le g a l c o n te m p la t io n 120 a c re s c o m p rise d

t h i s f a m i ly s h a re . Land was f o lk la n d , b o c la n d , and la e n la n d .

F o lc la n d was th e g e n e ra l name f o r a l l e s ta te s save th e a lo id o f

th e f i r s t markmen. I t was la n d h e ld in common and was s u b je c t

to r e n ts and r e v e rs io n s . (2 5 ) . The b u rd e n o f f o lc la n d were

m i l i t a r y s e r v ic e , r e p a i r o f ro a d s , w a tch and w ord , and i n ’ r o y a l

h u n t in g , c o n ro y o f m essengers, h a rb o r in g o f th e K in g and p ro ­

v is io n s f o r h o rs e s , hawks and hounds. ( 2 6 ) .

The pow er o f d is p o s a l o f f o lc la n d was in th e K in g and

th e w ita n and th e p a s s in g o f t i t l e was b y some fo rm o f l i v e r y

o f s e is in . The common g ra n t was to th e p e rso n who ha^L done

g r e a t p u b l ic s e r v ic e , (2 7 ) , and i t was so g ra n te d as e a r ly as

th e w r i t i n g o f js e o w u lf. ( 2 8 ) . L a te r h e r e d i ta r y e s ta te s were

c re a te d o u t o f i t w i th th e r e s u l t t h a t th e s ta te l o s t i t s

r e v e r s io n . By th e custom o f th e f o l c th e re c o u ld be no a l ie n ­

a t io n fro m th e com m unity b y th e k in d re d and when th e in d iv i d a l -

i s t i c te n d e n cy i n la n d h o ld in g a ro s e i n f o l c la n d , th e co n s e n t

o f th e in te r e s te d r e la t i v e s o f th e a c tu a l h o ld e r was n e c e s s a ry

i f i t w ere g iv e n , o r s o ld , s t i l l more d e v is e d o u t o f th e

n a tu r a l o rd e r o f s u c c e s s io n . ( 2 9 ) .

The common p r e te x t upon w h ich f o lk la n d was c o n v e r te d

in t o " f o e la n d " was th e e r e c t io n and endowment o f a r e l ig io u s

ho use . The r e s u l t o f such c o n v e rs io n was th e d e s t r u c t io n o f

th e r e v e r s io n ,w i t h e sch e a t o n ly upon th e d e s t r u c t io n o f th e

p a r t i c u la r h o use . (3 0 ) . Thus says Bede, th e la n d was f r e e d

fro m e a r t h ly w a r fa re and e a r t h ly s e r v ic e to be em ployed in

h e a v e n ly w a r fa re . ” Boc l a n d , r e l ie v e d fro m b u rd e n s , was a

s p e c ie s o f la n d h o ld in g g u a ra n te e d b y deed o r b o o k ; p r o te c te d by

e c c le s ia s t ic a l anathem as, r o y a l a u t h o r i t y , th e solem n p re se n ce

o f w itn e s s e s and th e c o n se n t o f th e f a m i l y . ” T h is was th e

t e r r a te s te m e n t ta le s o f th e A n g lo -S a xo n . (3 1 ) . The owner

c o u ld a l ie n a te i t og*yhis w i l l and he c o u ld d e fe a t ^ fe e h e ir . (3 2 ) .

When f o lc la n d was changed to b o c la n d a re c o rd was made b y th e

w ita n . ( 3 3 ) . T h is fo rm o f la n d h o ld in g in c re a s e d w i th th e r is e

o f th e lo r d and th e r e l ig io u s ho use . G ra n ts were made in

g ro u p s o f T e n . sh a re s o r m u l t ip le s o f te n as e v id e n c e ib y I n i ’ s

g r a n t to A ld h e lm and I n i to G la s to n b u ry , B o c la n d was s u b je c t

to r e c a l l and c o u ld be re c o n v e r te d in t o f o lc la n d . I t was

b u rd e n e d w i th m i l i t a r y s e rv ic e and was in in s ta n c e s made

s u b je c t to c o n d it io n s o f re m a in d e r and r e v e r s io n . (3 3 ) .

L a e n la n d was a m odern le a s e h o ld r e la t io n s h ip . The la n d

was re n te d f o r ;:a p e r io d w i th la b o u r r e n t as th e o r d in a r y con­

s id e r a t io n . The p e r io d was f o r y e a rs and a t w i l l . The r ig h t s

o f th e r e v e r s io n e r s were i n t a c t and c o u ld n o t be f o r f e i t e d b y

th e a c t o f th e te n a n t . (3 4 ) . By th e 1 0 th c e n tu ry i t was common

to e x te n d la e n la n d to e s ta te s f o r l i f e o r l i v e s . (3 5 ) . R en t

was re tu rn e d y e a r l y k i n d and c o n s is te d o f a le , oxen , f is h e s ,

che eses , c o rn and m ea l. ( 3 6 ) .

B u t i n a l l te n u re s th e id e a was to h o ld th e u n i t i n t a c t .

I n s e r v i le o r c o lo n a ry tenem ents th e lo r d s power re g u la te d s

s u c c e s s io n and r e s t r i c t e d th e h o ld in g in t o a s in g le h e i r . (37 )

W henever th e re was p a r t i t i o n i t was a lw a ys r e g u la r so th e re

w ere e ig h t h e i r s to a h id e ; fo u r to a h a l f h id e ; two to a

y i r g a t e and one to ^ b o v a te . Beyond t h i s number, where th e lan de d

e s ta te was one h id ^ none o f th e h e i r s to o k . (3 8 ) . The system

c a l le d ” g a b e rn s c h a fe n M on th e c o n t in e n t and g a v e l- k in d in Kent

was th e b e s t system f o r th e t im e ^ , f o r i t le g a l iz e d th e u n io n s

o f c o h e irs f o r th e c a r r y in g on o f h u sb a n d ry a rra n g em en ts on

sha re la n d . ( 3 9 ) . So th e a l ie n a t io n o f la n d was r e s t r i c t e d è

to th e p a r t i c u la r h o ld in g . There was to be no b re a k in g up o f

sha re s b y g iv in g , s e l l i n g , o r d e v is in g th e la n d s , f o r r e s t r i c ­

t io n o f f a m i ly r i g h t s fo rb a d e i t . ( 4 0 ) . The c Ê ie f fo r c e s mak­

in g f o r p r iv a t e d is p o s i t io n o f la n d s were th e ch u rch and th e

K in g who use d th e la n d la r g e ly i n th e re -n u m e ra t io n o f th e s e r ­

v ic e s . (41 ) .

The e x is te n c e o f e a r ls , and k in g s and men’ s ’’ hams’’ and

" tu n s ” i n 602 A .D . shows th e e a r ly e s ta b lis h m e n t o f m a n o r ia l.

e s ta te s . ( 4 2 ) . "Hams” and " tu n s ” in A e t h e lb e r t ’ s t im e w ere in

th e c o n t r o l o f in d iv id u a ls . (4 3 ) . What was c a l le d a "ham " o r

" tu n " i n th e la w , was in r e a l i t y a manor in th e Norman sense o f

th e w o rd ; an e s ta te w ith a v i l l a g e com m unity on i t u n d e ra lo rd b

j u r i s d i c t i o n . ( 4 4 ) . The lo r d h e ld a c e r t a in num ber o f h id e s

p a r t o f w h ic h were " g e s e t te s " la n d , c u l t i v a t e d b y th e "g e b u r"

and c o t t e r te n a n t . The th e o ry was th a t th e lo r d p u t a g e b u r

i n as te n a n t ; t h a t when th e g e b u r d ie d th e lo r d p u t in h is

s u c c e s s o r. The son o f th e g e b u r was g e n e r a l ly p u t in b y th e

lo r d ,a n d so g rew up a c ru de system o f p r im o g e n i tu r e among th e

r e n t p a y in g te n a n ts an th e e a r ly A n g lo -S a xo n m anors. ( 4 5 ) .

The open f i e l d system was a p e c u l ia r u n io n o f i n d iv i d ­

u a l , and com m unity p r iv i le g e s w i t h in th e m anor. The h o ld in g o f

each v i r g a t e r w ere l i t t l e d iv is io n s o f a c re s , h a l f a c re s and

fu r lo n g s th e open f i e l d s were num bers o f s t r i p s o f a ra b le la n d

s e p a ra te d b y t i S r f b a lk s s c a t te re d o v e r u n fe n c e d f i e l d s , copy­

h o ld and f r e e h o ld s id e by s id e and h u sb a n d ry was c o n t r o l le d b y

r u le s c o n c e rn in g th e r o t a t io n o f c ro p s . ( 4 6 ) . Each v i r g a t e r

had t h i r t y s m a ll s t r i p s s c a t te re d th ro u g h o u t th e a ra b le la n d

o f th e m anor, w h i le th e p o s s e s s io n s h i f t e d fro m owner to owner.

(4 7 ) . As soon as th e c ro p s were ta k e n th e a ra b le la n d re v e r te d

in t o common p a s tu re . T h is l im i t e d th e in d iv id u a l r i g h t s to the

s in g le y e a r and one c ro p , a f t e r w h ich th e com m unity a s s e r te d

i t s r i g h t s u n t i l a n o th e r g ro w in g season. ( 4 8 ) . So th e p a s tu re

k e p t b a la n c e be tw eeh a g r ic u l t u r e and c a t t l e r a is in g . There

was a d u ty to m a in ta in a f a i r l y e q u a l d r iv in g o f c a t t le on th e

f a l lo w . ( 4 9 ) .

T here w ere two system s f o r th e r o t a t i o n o f c ro p s , th e

th re e f i e l d and th e two f i e l d . The th re e f i e l d system was a

r o t a t i o n fro m w in te r seed, w h e a t, s p r in d seed, b a r e ly o r o a ts ,

and f a l lo w . By th e two f i e l d system th e re was a l t e r n a t e c ro p

and f a l lo w . There was a s m a ll body o f custom c o n c e rn in g woods,

e n c lo s u re s and meadows. T 'rses i n p r iv a t e woods wehe s p e c ia l ly

p r o te c te d , b u t h o u s e h o ld e rs had th e r i g h t to c u t f o r h e y b o te

and h o u s e b o te . (5 0 ) . The t r e e was a p p ra is e d a c c o rd in g to i t s

v a lu e i n th e fe e d in g o f th e sw ine and each te n a n t was a llo w e d

a c e r t a in num ber o f sw ine in th e m ast b e a r in g woods (5 1 ) . The-e n c lo s in g o f la n d s came in t o d i r e c t o p p o s it io n w i th th e p a s to rs

a l in t e r e s t s o f com m unity h o ld e r s . (5 2 ) . B u t hedges and fen ces

w ere k e p t , f o r b y th e K e n t is h la w , p a rc e n e rs were e n jo in e d to

keep up hedges f o r th e p r o je c t io n o f meadows. (5 3 ) .

We now come to th e r e n t p a y in g te n a n ts upon th e m anors

and w i l l n o te t h e i r d u t ie s and mode o f s e t t le m e n t^ th e common

th in g was f o r th e lo r d to p u t th e Mg e b u rw upon a y a rd la n d con­

s i s t i n g o f 30 s c a t te re d s t r i p s . The te n a t was fu r n is h e d w i th

oxen and seed . ( 5 4 ) . So th e Mg e b u rw g o t two oxen , one cow,

s ix sheep, and seven a c re s sown in h is y a rd la n d o r v i r g a t e . ( 5 5 )

I f a man a g re e d f o r a y a rd la n d a t a f i x e d g a f a l , he d id n o t

need to ta k e i t upon h im i f th e lo r d w o u ld n o t g iv e h im a

d w e ll in g . ( 5 6 ) . The r e la t io n s h ip be tw een lo r d and te n a n t was

one o f l o r d and man. I f th e te n a t w ent away fro m h is l o r d and

s to le h im s fe lf away in t o a n o th e r s h i r e , he was to go b a ck to h is

lo r d and pay a f i n e o f 60 s c . (5 7 ) . The s e rv ic e s o f th e g e b u r

were two f o ld . He p a id Mg a fa lw o r t r i b u t e in money o r k in d and a ls o in w ork a t p lo w in g , sow ing and re a p in g . (5 8 ) .

G a fo ly th " was as f o l lo w s ; m ichae lm as he p a id g q .fo lp e n c e ;

m a rtin m a s , 23 s e s te rs o f b a r le y and two h e n s ; E a s te r on sheep;

3 a c re s sown; h e a r th penny; s ix lo a v e s to th e s w in e h e rd . ( 5 9 ) .

E x t ra s p e c ia l s e rv ic e s were i n th e fo rm o f week w o rk . The gebur

was to w o rk f o r a week w o rk ,tw o days a t such w ork as he was b id

th ro u g h o u t th e year, and fro m Candlemas to E a s te r , th re e d a ys . (60

So e v e ry week th e ge b u r was to w o rk as b id e x c e p t th re e weeks,

one a t m id w in te r , E a s te r , and a t Gang day. ( 6 1 ) .

S im i la r to th e g e b u r ,b u t h u m b le r in s ta t io n , was th e

¿ o t t e r te n a n t . The n a tu re o f h is w ork was o r d in a r y la b o r f o r

th e lo r d , fo j^ h a ^ á a ^ no oxen . The c o t t e r te n a n t c o u ld n o t

p lo u g h . He p a id week w o rk , h e a rth p e n n y and c h u rc h s c o t a t

M a rtin m a s . ( 6 2 ) . The s e rv ic e s were g a th e re d b y th e K in g 's

tu n g e re fa whose d u ty i t was to c a re f o r th e la n d . (6 3 ) .

S h ou ld a s e r v ic e p a ye r p e r s is t i n n e g le c t in g to pay h is l o r d 's

" g a f a l " he was l i a b l e to f o r f e i t u r e o f g o o d s a n d to d e a th . (6 4 ) .

S p e c ia l w o rk e rs in th e v i l l a g e were shephe rds and s w in e h e rd

who a t te n d e d f lo c k ^ a n d d ro ve s , and c o l le c t e d g r a s s - g a fa l .

G reeves had cha rg e o f th e f i e l d s , Im pounded t re s p a s s in g * c a t t le

and managed d ra in a g e . uWoodweardJ? lo o k e d a f t e r th e woods, c u t ­

t i n g o f t im b e r , th e use o f underw ood and th e g a th e r in g o f b ru s h C ■

wood. The hedgeguard had cha rge o f th e hedges and b a lk s in

th e open f i e l d p r a c t ic e . ( 6 5 ) .

The id e a o f th e o ld A ng lo -S a xo n manor can be had b y a

ro u gh d e s c r ip t io n o f th e w ork done and th e s e rv ic e s p e rfo rm e d .

The manor a t Tydenham was Saxon s in c e 577 A .D . , and was g iv e n

b y th e K in g Edwy to th e abbey o f B a th in 956 A .D . So th e

s e rv ic e s a ro s e w h i le th e manor was r o y a l . The re c o rd shows,

a t Dydenhamme 30 h id e s , 9 o f " in la n d and 21 o f " g e s e t te s " .

The g e n e a t a t Dydehhamme w orked as w e l l o f f la n d as on la n d ,

w h ic h e v e r he was o rd e re d to d o ,a n d he ro d e ,a n d c a r r ie d lo a d s ,

and d ro v e d ro v e s . (6 6 ) . The wg e b u ru p lo u g h e d l / 2 a c re as week

w o rk a n d ,h im s e lf p re p a re d th e seed i n th e l o r d 's h a m f o r w e ir

b u i ld in g ^ h e made 40 la rg e r o d s ,o r one lo a d o f s m a ll ro d s , o r he

b u i l t 8 yokes and w a t t le d th re e ebbs o f a c re fe n c in g , ' he d id

f i f t e e n y a rd s o ^ d i t c h in g f i f t e e n y a rd s . He made one ro d o f

b u rh fe n c e , re a p e d 1 /2 a c re ; m o w e d f^ o n e -h a lf a s e s te r o f honey

a t hammas; 6 s e s te rs o f m a lt a t M artinm as^ and one c le w o f good

n e t y a m . (6 7 ) .

S e rv ic e s on a manor o f K in g A l f r e d were p e rfo rm e d . E v e iy

h id e p a id 40 s c . a t th e h a rv e s t e q u in o x , and s i x ch u rc h m it ta n s

o f a le /^ l th r e e s e s te rs o f b re a d . Th ree a c re s were to be p lo u g h ­

ed i n t h e i r p ro p e r t im e s ; th re e pounds o f b a r le y ; one h a l f an'Co

a c re o f mowing and th e r i c k in g o f h a y . The h o ld e r was s p l i t

f o u r lo a d s o f g o fa l w ood land do s ix te e n y a rd s o f fe n c in g ¿ a n d

^ t E a s te r pay two ewes w i th two la m b s ,w h ile sheep were to be

w o rke d and she a re d in th e r i g h t season. ( 6 8 ) .

2 . A e th e lb e r t 7 5 .

5 . I n i , 4 5 , 30, 63 . A e l f r e d , 18 , 10 , 29 , 39 .

4 . I n i , 63 .

5 . P o l lo c k and M a it la n d . H is to r y Eng. Law. p 1 -6 .

6 . Kemble Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l . p 135.

7 . K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l . l , p 135.

8 . V in o g r a d o f f , The G row th o f th e M anor. p 217.

9j* V in o g r a d o f f , *» « m m m p 221.

1 0 .V in o g r a d o f f M « « H ” p 216.

1 1 .A e th e lre d I I I , 3 , Cnut 1 - 8 .

1 2 . V in o g r a d o f f , The G row th o f th e M anor. 216.

13 . I n i 5 1 .

14 .S eebohnn. Eng. V i l la g e Com m unity, p 139.

15 . N o r th P e o p le *s Laws.

1^,. V in o g r a d o f f , The G row th o f th e M anor, p 221.

17 . V in o g r a d o f f , » « « " « p 2.1®.

18 . V in o g r a d o f f , M " •* ” ** p 218.

19 . V in o g r a d o f f , ** m « m m p 220.

20 . V in o g r a d o f f , * » *♦ ” *» p 219 .

21 . K em ble, Saxons in E ng la n d . p 169.

22 . K em ble, Saxons in E n g la n d . p 175.

23 . Kem ble , Saxons in E n g la n d . p 178.

24 . N o r th P e o p le ’ s Laws. 9 .

2 5 . V in o g r a d o f f , The G row th o f th e M anor, p 128.

26 . N o r th P e o p le ’ s Laws.

27 . N o rth P e o p le ’ s Laws. 5 .

28 . S tu b b s , C o n s t i t u t io n a l H is to r y V o l . l . p 191.

29 . N o r th P e o p le ’ s Laws.

30. N o r th P e o p lê s Law. 10 .

31 . A e th e lb e r t 77

32 . A e th e lb e r t 82

33 . A e th e lb e r t 83 .

3 4 . I n i 27 .

3 5 . Eadmund 11 , 1 .

3 6 . Eadmund 11, 3 .

3 7 . Eadmund 11£.

38 . Eadmund 9 , E t h e i r ed V I . 12.

39 . Eadmund 8 .

4 0 . E th e lr e d ’ s Compact w i th O la f . 22 and 23.

4 1 . A e th e lb e r t 78 .

4 2 . C nut 74 - 7 5 .

4 3 . E th e lr e d 87

4 4 . H lo th h a e re 6 , Kemble V o l. I . p 259.

4 5 . I n i 38 .

4 6 . I n i 34 .

4 7 . C nut 103.

4 8 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 198.

4 9 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 200.

50 . A e th e lb e r t 80 .

51 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 198 .

52 .

53 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 194.

64 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 186.

55 . Kemble V o l. I , p 202.

56 . Kemble V o l. I , p 209.

57 . L e g is H e n r i 7 0 - 5 .

H lo th h a e re 1 , 3 .

58 . I n i 74 .

59 . I n i 24..

60 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 210.

61 . A e th e ls ta n 111, 6 .

62 . L e g is H en ry 59 - 25 .

63 . Kemble V o l. I , p 191.O • -6 4 . A e th e lre d V o l. I I , p 119, C nut 11 , 3 .

65 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 212 - Saxons in E n g la n d .

66 . I n i 3

67 . C nut 45

68 . A l f r e d 43 .

69 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 212. Saxons i n E n g la n d .

7 0 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 213.

7 1 . H lo th h a e re 8 .

7 2 . Kem ble V o l. I , p 219. Saxons i n E n g la n d .

7 3 . Kemble V o l. I , p 224 n u n

7 4 . W ib t ra rd 8 .

7 5 . Kemble V o l. I , p 196.

1 . V in o g r a d o f f p 212

2 . A e th e ls ta n 11 , 2 , 8 .

3 . V in o g r a d o f f p 212 - 213.

4 . I n i 70

o5. A e th e ls ta n 111, 4 ; IV . 5 ; V . 1 .

6 . Domesday and Beyond p 69 .

7 . V in o g r a d o f f p 217.

8 . V in o g r a d o f f p 214.

9 . E th e lr e d 1 , 10 . I n i 22 .

1 0 . Domesday and Beyond p 266.

11 . Kem ble , Saxons in E ng la nd Vo l . I , p 53 .

12 . Kem ble , " " " V o l. I , p 88 .

13 . A e th e ls ta n V o l. I . Cnut 20 , A l f r e d 27.

14 . V in o g r a d o f f p 196. - The G row th o f th e M anor.

15 . C nut 11, 49 .

16 . V in d g r a d o f f p 150. The G row th o f th e M anor.

17 . V in o g r a d o f f p 151. w *» " « . «

18 . V in o g r a d o f f p 153. M M w • *

19 . V in o g r a d o f f p 153. w *i « w it

20 . V in o g r a d o f f p 153. ” M M w w

21 . Domesday and B eyond, pp 507 - 08 .

22 . V in o g r a d o f f p 159. The G row th o f th e M anor,

23 . V in o g r a d o f f p 160. w « * « w

2 4 . V in o g r a d o f f p 162. M n u n n

25 . K em ble, V o l. I , p 289. Saxons in E n g la n d .

26 . K em ble, v o l . I ? p 294. M M *

27 . K em ble, V o l. I , p 289. ” ® w

28 . Beownuf L . 5977.

29 . V in o g r a d o f f p 143. The G row th o f th e M anor,

30 . K em ble , V o l. I , p 302. Saxons in E n g la n d .

31 . V in o g r a d o f f p 209. The G rw oth o f th e M anor.

32 . H is to r y o f Eng. Law 11 , 252.

33 . Kem ble , * V o l. I , p 3 0 5 -0 8 , Saxons i n E n g la n d .

34 . Kem ble , V o l. I , p 311 . M • M

35 . K em ble , V o l. I , p 312 . « " "

36 . K em ble , F o l . I , p 315. * ■ u ”

37 . Seebolnm p 512. E n g l is h V i l la g e Com m unity.

38 . V in o g r a d o f f p 205 . The G row th o f th e M anor.

39 . V in o g r a d o f f p 206. ” " n u n

4 0 . V in o g r a d o f f p 208. « * » M "

4 1 . V in o g r a d o f f p 209. " " " w M

4 2 . Seebolnm p 179. E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity.

4 3 . A e th e lb e r t S e c t. 3 , 5 , 13 , 17 .

4 4 . Seebolnm p 147. E n g lis h V i l la g e com m un ity .

4 5 . Seebolnm p 177. w M *

4 6 . Seebolnm p 13 . m w «

4 7 . Seebolnm p 206. M " n

4 8 . V in o g r a d o f f p 178 - 80 .

4 9 . V in o g r a d o f f p 182.

50 . V i l le n a g e i n E n g la n d , p 276.

51 . V in o g r a d o f f p 169. The G row th o f th e M anor.

52. V in o g r a d o f f p 173. ” « m ii w

5 3 . I n i 42

54 . Seebolnm p 138. E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity.

55 . Seebolnm p 138. w M **

56 . Seebolnm p 144. n n «

57 . I n i 39.

58 . Seebolnm 140. E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity.

59 . Seebolnm 140. " " "

60 . Seebolnm p 141 m i * »

61 . Seebolnm p 163. « « »

6 2 . Seebolnm p 141. M w M

6 3 . Seebolnm p 143. » w «

64 . Supp. to E a d g a r’ s Law.

65 . V in o g r a d o f f p 190. The G row th o f th e M anor.

66 . Seebolnm p 154. E n g lis h V i l la g e Com m unity.

67 . Seebolnm p 157. n u n

6 8 . Seebolnm p 162. M H w

COHCLTTSIOHS.

The s tu d e n t o f A n g lo -S a xo n law and le g a l i n s t i t u t i o n s

i s im p re sse d w i t h th e c o n t in u i t y o f th e sys tem .T he w h o le scheme

moved on and de ve lo p ed w ith , id e a o f u n i t y . The fe u d a l sustem has

i t s c rude b e g in n in g s in th e t im e o f in i . A l r e a d y th e r e la t i o n o f

lo r d and man was b e in g fo rm e d .B y th e s e v e n th c e n tu ry m anors and

v a s t e s ta te s w ere h e ld in m o rtm a in .T h e b e g in n in g s w ere s m a ll ,b u t '

by th e e le v e n th c e n tu ry , th e fe u d a l sys tem was^ w e l l on i t s way;

th e r e la t io n s h ip o f lo r d and man was e s ta b l is h e d ; th e in d iv id u a l

had been em anc ipa ted and lo o k e d to th e lo r d o r th e c e n t r a l g o v e rn ­

ment to keep th e peace .

The e a r ly A n g lo - Saxon k in g had l i t t l e r e a l p o w e r , fo r th e

e x e c u t iv e a u t h o r i t y was w id e sp re a d among th e ea ldorm en and th e

re e v e s .B y th e e le v e n th c e n tu ry , th e K in g was t r e a te d as th e head o f

th e n a t io n .S u c h p o w e r fu l r e g a l ia as th e o w n e rsh ip o f a l l p u b l ic

la n d s , th e r i g h t to ta k e cases o u t o f th e la w c o u r ts ,a n d th e r i g h t

to s e t t l e lo r d s on e s ta te s w ere in th e crown in th e t im e o f c n u t .

The e a r ly d is t in c t io n s betw een s o c ia l B la sse s w ere de­

te rm in e d by th e h o ld in g o f the la n d r a th e r th a n by b lo o d r e la t i o n ­

s h ip .T h e r e s u l t was th a t s o c ia l c la s s e s w ere n o t f ix e d ;m e n c o u ld

r i s e o r f a l l in s o c ia l s ta n d in g w i t h th e in c re a s e o r decrease o f

t h e i r a lo d ia l h o ld in g s .A c e o r l o f one g e n e ra t io n m ig h 4', have c h i l d ­

re n a fid g r a n d c h i ld re n th a t w ere "g e s ith c u n d " i n th e second o r t h i r d

g e n e r a t io n ;a tw e lv e hynde man m ig h t th ro u g h th e lo s s o f h is p ro p ­

e r t y by w h a te v e r means,become a 'Tw ite - th e o w ,f, and a l l o f h is sons

and d a u g h te r» b o rn w h i le he was in bondage w o u ld be s la v e s ex- B a t­

u r a . They in t \ i r n m ig h t be m anum itted and a f t e r a g e n e ra t io n o r two

th e TTw ite - th e o w ' s " o f f s p r in g m ig h t r i s e a g a in to he "g e s ith e u n d " .

As lo n g as p r o p e r ty was th e t e s t f o r s o c ia l s ta n d in g ,m e n d id n o t

re m a in f ix e d in one c la s s u n le s s th e y r e ta in e d t h e i r h o ld on th e

la n d .

The f i r s t in t im a t io n th a t b lo o d w ou ld come to be th e t e s t

f o r s o c ia l s ta n d in g is fo u n d in th e c ru d e p r im o -g e n itu re th a t grew

up aiftong th e te n a n ts on the A n g lo -S axo n m a no rs .T h e re th e son f o l lo w ­

ed th e fa t h e r so o f te n t h a t a custom grew up on some manors th a t

th e o f f s p r in g s h o u ld fo l lo w th e a n c e s to r-T h e n e x t deve lopm en t t h a t

t h a t tended to f i x the t e s t o f b lo o d f o r s o c ia l s ta n d in g to o k p la c e

i n th e t im e o f Cnut when th e few la n d e d lo r d s handed t h e i r e s ta te s

down to t h e i r e ld e s t son-The ohangB in la n d h o ld in g by w h ich th e

la n d was ta k e n o u t o f th e hands o f th e f o l k and p la c e d in th e hands

o f la n d e d p r o p r ie to r s w i t h th e subsequ en t r i s e o f p r im o g e n itu re

h a s te n e d th e fe u d a l sys tem more th a n any o th e r deve lopm en t f o r i t

te n d e d to f i x th e s o c ia l e la ssew so th a t th e r e la t i o n o f lo r d and

man c o u ld n o t be a l te r e d *

The m ost s ig n f ic a n t deve lopm en t in th e la n d h o ld in g was

th e b re a k in g dow nof fo lk h o ld in g s by th e c o n v e rs io n o f f o lc la n d in to

b o e la n d w h ic h r e s u lte d in ta k in g th e la n d o u t o f th e f o l k and p la c ­

in g i t u n d e r th e c o n t r o l o f th e ch u rch and the p r iv a t e lo rd .T h u s

th e re v e rs io n was e s ta b lis h e d in th e p r iv a t e lo r d and v a s t e s ta te s

w ere h e ld in m o rtm a in by th e c h u rc h .T h is deve lopm en t a id e d thse r i s e

o f th e in d iv id u a l f o r men no lo n g e r had th e fa m i ly o r f o l k r e la t i o n

to r e ly upon b u t w ere o b l ig e d to tu r n to th e c e n t r a l governm en t

f o r th e p r o te c t io n o f t h e i r p e rs o n a l and p ro p e r ty r ig h t s - a s th e

k in d re d w e a ke n e d ,th e s ta te in c re a s e d i n power**

The d is c u s s io n o f th e law s o f c rim e » and t o r t s and th e

p a r t t h a t th e chu rch in m aking and e x e c u tin g th e law s p la y e d seems

to le a d to th e c o n c lu s io n th a t th e chu rch was n o t o n ly re s p o n s ib le

f o r th e in c re a s e in c r im e ,b u t t h a t th e ch u rch was h a rs h and b r u t& l

in i t s pxm ish m e n ts -B u t th e re a re more cog en t re asons f o r th e i n ­

c re a se o f c r im e in A ng lo -S axon E n g la n d .T he in c re a s e in p o p u la t io n ,

in p ro p e r ty r i g h t s and p e rs o n a l r e la t io n s in new and v a r ie d p u r ­

s u i t s a re a l l n a t te r s t h a t te n d to a c c o u n t f o r th e r i s e o f t o r t s

to th e p e rs o n and to p ro p e r ty *T h e b re a k in g down o f th e k in d re d

and th e con sequ en t freedom o f th e in d iv id u a l , t h e r i s e o f th e c e n t r a l

power and i t s e f f o r t s to e s ta b l is h th e K in g ’ s peace a re e le m en ts

to be c o n s id e re d in th e s tu d y o f th e fo rm s o f p iin is h m e n t em ployed

by the a u th o r i t ie s .T h e s e p u n ishm e n ts w ere im posed by th e V ite n a -

gem ot w h ic h was made up o f th e e c c le s ia s t ic a l and th e s e c u la r

a u t h o r i t i e s who gave t h e i r s a n c t io n to th e la w s . I t i s h a rd to say

th a t th e ch u rch was re s p o n s ib le f o r th e many pu n ishm en ts im posed

upon c r im in a ls * T he b e t t e r c o n B lu s io n is th a t th e chu rch and th e

s ta te w orked to g e th e r to e s ta b l is h th e K in g 's peace in A n g lo - s a x -

on E ng la nd*

The e s s e n t ia l p a r t th a t th e c h u rc h to o k i n th e s e c u la r

gove rnm en t was to add d ig n i t y to th e la w c o u r ts and see th a t ju s t io e e

was p e rfo rm e d th e re «The chu rch was th e f i r s t s a n c tu a ry to. w h ic h th e

c r im in a l c o u ld f le e ; t h e a l t a r wa» th e p la c e w here th e s la v e was man­

u m it te d .T h e m a rr ia g e ceremony was s a n c t i f ie d by th e ch u rch w h ic h

so u g h t to add d ig n i t y and s t a b i l i t y to th e d o m e s tic r e la t io n s .T h e

ch u rc h must be c o n s id e re d in th e s tu d y o f a l l b ranch es o f th e A n g lo -

Saxon la w , f o r as shown in the body o f t h i s t h e s is , t h e ch u rch men

to o k an a c t iv e p a r t in th e le g is la t i v e , e x e c u t iv e , a d m in is t r a t i v e ,

and j u d i c i a l b ranches o f th e g o ve rn m en t-

some o f th e m ost n o ta b le s u r v iv a ls in th e common law

fro m th e e a r ly A n g lo -^a x o n law w ere th e r e la t i o n o f lo r d and man,

v i l le n a g E on m anors»m ortm a in la n d s i n th e c h u rc h ,p r im o g e n itu re in

r e m x re .h e r io ts ,m a r r ia g e u n d e r the s a n c t i t y o f th e c h u rc h ,a n d th e

p re se n ce o f th e lo rd s e c c le s ia s t ic a l in th e m ain l e g i s l a t i v e body

i n th e go ve rn m e n t.

The e s s e n t ia l f a c t in th e deve lopm en t o f th e A n g lo -

Saxon la w is t h a t th e re was a s te a d y and u n in te r u p te d g ro w th based

on c t is to m .^ h e re w ere no sudden changes in p o l ic y o r 4n th e fo rm

o f th e gove rn m en t.S ueh g ro w th a cco u n ts f o r th e s t a b i l i t y o f th e law s

and t h e i r p e rs is te n c e in th e A n g lo -s a x o n scheme o f g o ve rn m e n t.

Bib l io g r a p h y .

Seebohm

The E n g lis h Vi l l a g e Com m un ity .

K em ble.

Saxons in E n g la n d . V o l. I I .

B ro o k e .

The H is to r y o f E a r ly E n g lis h L i t e r a t u r e .

V in o g r a d o f f .

The G rowth o f th e M anor.

S tu b b s .

S e le c t Char te r s I l l u s t r a t i v e o f E n g lis h Co n s t i t u t i o n a l

H is t o r y .

M a it la n d .

Domesday and Beyond.

P o lla c k and M a it la n d .

H is to r y o f E n g lis h Law.

S te a rn .

Germs and D eve lopm ents o f th e Law o f E n g la n d .

T u rk .

The Law o f A l f r e d .

S tu b b s .

C o n s t i t u t io n a l H is t o r y . V o l. I .

F lo re n c e o f W o rc e s te r .

C h r o n ic le .

The I deas t h a t have I n f lu e n c e d Ci v i l i z a t i o n . V. IV.

B e o w u lf.

THE COSTUMALS.

Laws o f K in g A e th e lb a e r t .

K e n t . 560- 6 16 A .D .

Laws o f z in g s H lo th h a e re and Ea d r ic .

K e n t. 673-686 A .D .

Laws o f K in g W ih tra e d .

K e n t. 690-725 A .D .

Laws o f K in g A l f r e d .

Wesse x . 871- 9 01 A .D .

Laws o f Kin g E dw ard.

901-924 A .D .

Laws o f Kin g Edward and Cu th ru m .

901-924 A .D .

Laws o f K in g A l f r e d and Go th ru m .

878 A .D .

Laws o f K in g A e th e ls ta n .

Wesse x . 924 A .D .

Laws o f K in g Edmund.

We sse x . 940-946 A .D .

Laws o f Kin g E d g a r.

M e rc ia and No r th u m b r ia . We s s e x . 959-975 A .D .

la w s o f w ing c n u t .

1017-1035 A .D .

Laws o f Kin g A e th e lre d ,

978-1016 A .D .

la w s o f z in g Edward th e c o n fe s s o r .

1042-1066 A .D .

Laws: Ju d ic ia C i v i v i t a t i s Londonae.

A e th e ls ta n . 924A .D .

SOURCES OF THE COSTUMALS.

T u rk .

The L aws o f K in g A l f r e d .

S te a rn s .

Germs and D eve lopm ents o f th e Laws o f E n g la n d .

Seebohm.

The E n g lis h Vi l l a g e Co m m u n ity .

S tu b b s .

S e le c t c h a r te r s i l l u s t r a t i v e o f th e E n g lis h

C o n s t i t u t io n a l H is to r y .

The id e a s t h a t have in f lu e n c e d c i v i l i z a t i o n , y . IV .

T h o rp .

A n g lo -Saxon Laws .