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
[6.] I forgive all pleas and all debts which were owing to
my brother [William II], except my own proper dues, and
except those things which were agreed to belong to the
inheritance of others, or to concern the property which
justly belonged to others. And if anyone had promised
anything for his heritage, I remit it, and I also remit all
'reliefs' which were promised for direct inheritance.
[7.] If any of my barons or of my men, being ill, shall give
away or bequeath his movable property, I will allow that it
shall be bestowed according to his desires. But if,
prevented either by violence or through sickness, he shall
die intestate as far as concerns his movable property, his
widow or his children, or his relatives or one his true men
shall make such division for the sake of his soul, as may
seem best to them.
[8.] If any of my barons or of my men shall incur a forfeit,
he shall not be compelled to pledge his movable property to
an unlimited amount, as was done in the time of my father
[William I] and my brother; but he shall only make payment
according to the extent of his legal forfeiture, as was done
before the time of my father and in the time of my earlier
predecessors. Nevertheless, if he be convicted of breach of
faith or of crime, he shall suffer such penalty as is just.
[9.] I remit all murder fines which were incurred before the
day on which I was crowned King; and such murder fines as
shall now be incurred shall be paid justly according to the
law of King Edward [by sureties].
[10.] By the common counsel of my barons I have retained the
forests in my own hands as my father did before me.
[11.] The knights, who in return for their estates perform
military service equipped with a hauberk [long coat] of
mail, shall hold their demesne lands quit of all gelds
[money payments] and all work; I make this concession as my
own free gift in order that, being thus relieved of so great
a burden, they may furnish themselves so well with horses
and arms that they may be properly equipped to discharge my
service and to defend my kingdom.
[12.] I establish a firm peace in all my kingdom, and I
order that this peace shall henceforth be kept.
[13.] I restore to you the law of King Edward together with
such emendations to it as my father [William I] made with
the counsel of his barons.
[14.] If since the death of my brother, King William [II],
anyone shall have seized any of my property, or the property
of any other man, let him speedily return the whole of it.
If he does this no penalty will be exacted, but if he
retains any part of it he shall, when discovered, pay a
heavy penalty to me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account