Our Legal Heritage, King AEthelbert, 596 to King George III, 1775 — John Shaqi
Our Legal Heritage, King AEthelbert, 596 to King George III, 1775Reilly, S. A.
History
Our Legal Heritage, King AEthelbert, 596 to King George III, 1775
Reilly, S. A.
Law -- England -- History
An example of a grant of hides of land is: "[God has endowed King
Edred with England], wherefore he enriches and honors men, both
ecclesiastic and lay, who can justly deserve it. The truth of this
can be acknowledged by the thegn AElfsige Hunlafing through his
acquisition of the estate of 5 hides at Alwalton for himself and
his heirs, free from every burden except the repair of
fortifications, the building of bridges and military service; a
prudent landowner church dues, burial fees and tithes. [This land]
is to be held for all time and granted along with the things both
great and small belonging to it."
A Bishop gave land to a faithful attendant for his life and two
other lives as follows: "In 904 A.D., I, Bishop Werfrith, with the
permission and leave of my honorable community in Worcester, grant
to Wulfsige, my reeve, for his loyal efficiency and humble
obedience, one hide of land at Aston as Herred held it, that is,
surrounded by a dyke, for three lives and then after three lives
the estate shall be given back without any controversy to
Worcester."
At seaports on the coast, goods were loaded onto vessels owned by
English merchants to be transported to other English seaports.
London was a market town on the north side of the Thames River and
the primary port and trading center for foreign merchants. Streets
that probably date from this time include Milk, Bread, and Wood
Streets, and Honey Lane. There were open air markets such as
Billingsgate. There were wooden quays over much of the river front.
Houses were made of wood, with one sunken floor, or a ground floor
with a cellar beneath. Some had central stone hearths and earth
latrines. There were crude pottery cooking pots, beakers and
lamps, wool cloth, a little silk, simple leather shoes, pewter
jewelry, looms, and quernstones (for grinding flour). Wool, skins,
hides, wheat, meal, beer, lead, cheese, salt, and honey were
exported. Wine (mostly for the church), fish, timber, pitch,
pepper, garlic, spices, copper, gems, gold, silk, dyes, oil,
brass, sulphur, glass, slaves, and elephant and walrus ivory were
imported. Goods from the continent were sold at open stalls in
certain streets. Furs and slaves were traded. There was a royal
levy on exports by foreigners merchants. Southwark was reachable
by a bridge. It contained sleazy docks, prisons, gaming houses,
and brothels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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