Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776Reilly, S. A.
History
Our Legal Heritage: King AEthelbert - King George III, 600 A.D. - 1776
Reilly, S. A.
Law -- England -- History
The heriot of an earl, which falls to the King, is 8 horses - 4 of them
bridled and saddled - 4 coats of mail, 4 helmets, 4 shields, 4 lances
and 4 swords. Of the other 4 horses, 2 shall be hunters and 2 riding
horses with bridlos and halters. The heriot of a baron is 4 horses - 2
bridled and saddled - 2 coats of mail, 2 helmets, 2 shields, 2 swords
and 2 lances. And of the other 2 horses, 1 shall be a hunter and 1 a
riding horse with bridles and halters. The heriot of a thegn of lower
rank to his liege lord shall be discharged by (delivering up) his
father's horse, as it was in the day of his death, his helmet, his
shield, his coat of mail, and lance and his sword. And if he was
without equipment, having neither horse nor arms, it shall be
discharged by the payment of 100 s. The heriot of a villain: he shall
give to this lord the best animal that he has, either a horse, an ox,
or a cow. And further all villeins shall be in frankpledge. For those
who hold their land by the payment of rent, the legal heriot shall be
the equivalent of a year's rent.
No one shall entertain a man for more than 3 days, unless he is
committed to this charge by the man with whom he was formerly serving.
And no one shall let any of his men leave him after an accusation has
All men shall keep the law of Edward relating to the tenure of estates.
been brought against him.
I prohibit the slaying or hanging of anyone for any offense, but his
eyes shall be put out and he shall suffer castration, so the trunk
remains alive as a sign of his treachery and wickedness. If a person
violates this, he shall pay the insubordination fee.
All cities, boroughs, castles, hundreds and wapentakes shall be guarded
every night on all sides against malefactors and enemies, as our
sheriffs, earldormen, reeves and other officials and servants best
provide.
The protection of the church is inviolable. Whatever crime a man has
committed, if he can make his way to a holy church, he shall have
protection for life and limb. And if anyone lays hands on him there, he
shall pay for anything he has taken and a fine of 100s. for a bishop's
church, abbey or monastery, 20s. for a parish church, and 10s. for a
chapel.
"If a man wishes to prove against his lord that he has an agreement for
his land, he must do so by means of his fellow-tenants whom he summons
as witnesses, for he cannot do so by means of strangers."
If a man slays another he shall pay manbot to the lord of the slain man
in the amount of 10s. for a free man and 20s. for a slave.
The wergeld of a thegn is 20 pounds in Mercia and 25 pounds in
Wessex. The wergeld of a villain is 100s. (20s. would buy a stallion,
10s. a bull and 5s. a boar.) 10s. of the wergeld shall be paid to the
widow and children and the relatives and orphans shall divide what
remains among themselves.
The archbishop shall have as compensation for breach of his protection
40s. in Mercia, a bishop 20s., an earl 20s., a baron 10s.,and a sokeman
40d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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