Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
42. We also command that the man who knows his foe to be dwelling at
home fight not before he demand right of him. If he have such power that
he can beset his foe, and besiege him within, let him keep him within
for 7 days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And then,
after 7 days, if he will surrender, and deliver up his weapons, let him
be kept safe for 30 days, and let notice of him be given to his kinsmen
and his friends. If, however, he flee to a church, then let it be
according to the sanctity of the church; as we have before said above.
But if he have not sufficient power to besiege him within, let him ride
to the ealdorman, and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him
ride to the king before he fights. In like manner also, if a man come
upon his foe, and he did not before know him to be settled in a house;
if he be willing to deliver up his weapons, let him be kept for 30 days,
and let notice of him be given to his friends; if he will not deliver up
his weapons, then he may attack him. If he be willing to surrender, and
to deliver up his weapons, and any one after that attack him, let him
pay value and wound, such as he may cause, and fine, and let him have
his power destroyed. We also declare that, with his lord a man may fight
without incurring penalty, if any one attack the lord: thus may the lord
fight for his man. After the same wise a man may fight with his born
kinsman, if a man attack him wrongfully, except against his lord; that
we do not allow.
43. To all free men let these days be given, but not to slaves and
servile labourers, 12 days at Yule, and the day on which Christ overcame
the devil, and the commemoration day of S. Gregory, and 7 days before
Easter and 7 days after, and one day at S. Peter’s tide and S. Paul’s,
and at harvest the whole week before S. Mary’s mass, and one day at the
celebration of All Hallows, and the 4 Wednesdays in the 4 Ember weeks.
To all slaves be given, to those to whom it may be most desirable to
give, whatever any man shall give them in God’s name, or they at any of
their moments may deserve.
49-60. [The wound-tariff.] Front tooth, 8 shillings; canine tooth, 4
shillings; grinder, 15 shillings; cleft chin-bone, 12 shillings. Thumb
struck off, 30 shillings; thumb-nail, 5 shillings. Shooting-finger, 15
shillings; its nail, 4 shillings. Middlemost finger, 12 shillings; its
nail, 2 shillings. Gold-finger, 17 shillings; its nail, 4 shillings.
Little finger, 9 shillings; its nail, 1 shilling. [Note that 1 Kentish
shilling equals 4 Wessex shillings.]
OHTHERE’S VOYAGE OF EXPLORATION, TOLD TO KING ALFRED.
=Source.=—King Alfred’s translation of _Orosius_, i. 1. Translated by B.
Thorpe. Pauli’s _Alfred the Great_. Bohn’s Library.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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