“This then is my will, that every man be in surety, both within the towns and without the towns.” Eádg. ii. supp. § 3. Thorpe, i. 274. “Let every freeman have a true _borh_, who may present him to every right, should he be accused.” Æðelred, i. § 1. Thorpe, i. 280. “If he flee from the ordeal, let the _borh_ pay for him according to his _wer_.” Æðelr. iii. § 6. Thorpe, i. 296. “And we will that every freeman be brought into a hundred and into a tithing, who desires to be entitled to _lád_ or _wer_, in case any one should slay him after he have reached the age of xii years: or let him not otherwise be entitled to any free rights, be he householder, be he follower. And let every one be brought into a hundred and a surety, and let the surety hold and lead him to every plea.” Cnut, ii. § 20. Thorpe, i. 386. The stranger or friendless man, who had no _borh_, i. e. could not find bail, must be committed, at the first charge; and instead of clearing himself by the oaths of his friends, must run the risk and endure the pain of the ordeal. Cnut, ii. § 35. Thorpe, i. 396. Footnote 464: “De friðborgis, et quod soli Eboracenses vocant friðborch Tenmannetale, i. e. sermo decem hominum,” etc. Leg. Edw. Conf. xx. Thorpe, i. 450. ----- Thus the object of the gylds or tithings was, that each man should be in pledge or surety (_borh_) as well to his fellow-man as to the state for the maintenance of the public peace: that he should enjoy protection for life, honour and property himself, and be compelled to respect the life, honour and property of others: that he should have a fixed and settled dwelling where he could be found when required, where the public dues could be levied, and the public services demanded of him: lastly that, if guilty of actions that compromised the public weal or trenched upon the rights and well-being of others, there might be persons especially appointed to bring him to justice; and if injured by others, supporters to pursue his claim and exact compensation for his wrong. All these points seem to have been very well secured by the establishment of the Tithings, to whom the community looked as responsible for the conduct of every individual comprised within them; and coupled with the family obligations which still remained in force in particular cases, they amply answered the purpose of a mutual guarantee between all classes of men. The system possessed the advantage of being necessarily regulated by neighbourhood, and it was free from some disadvantages which might have attended an exclusive reliance upon kinsmanship: the frðiborgas not having the bond of blood between them, which might have induced an improper partiality in favour of one of their members; and as they stood under responsibility for every act of a gyldsman, being interested in preventing an undue interference on the part of his family. We thus see that the gyldsmen were not only bound to present their fellows before