Crime and Punishment in Britain

• Who ruled medieval England?

  Kings
• What was the primary responsibility of kings in medieval England?

  Making laws and protecting the land from attack
• What was the predominant religion in medieval England?

  Catholic Church
• What was the most common crime in Anglo-Saxon society?

  Petty theft
• How did local communities contribute to law enforcement in Anglo-Saxon society?

  They played a vital part in policing and trials
• What were the policing methods used in Anglo-Saxon society?

  • Tithing groups held men responsible for each other's behavior.
  • Hue and cry involved the community responding to alarms for criminals.
• What was the outcome of the trial by cold water?

  If the accused sank, they were judged innocent; if they floated, they were guilty
• What was trial by hot water?

  The accused put their hand into boiling water to pick up an object
• What was trial by hot iron?

  The accused picked up a red hot weight and walked three paces with it
• What was trial by blessed bread?

  A priest prayed that the accused would choke on bread if they lied
• What was the significance of the hand bandaging in trial by ordeal?

  A cleanly healing wound meant innocence
• What were the key factors influencing Anglo-Saxon justice?

  • Close-knit communities where people knew each other well.
  • The Church's belief that God could help judge crimes.
• What were the main types of punishments in Anglo-Saxon society?

  Fines, capital punishment, and corporal punishment
• What is wergild?

  Compensation paid to the victims of crime or their families
• How was the level of wergild determined?

  It was set by the king's laws
• What was the fine for killing a noble in Anglo-Saxon society?

  300 shillings
• What was the punishment for treason in Anglo-Saxon society?

  Execution
• What was the purpose of capital punishment in Anglo-Saxon society?

  To enforce loyalty
• What were the key changes in crime and punishment after the Norman Conquest?

  • Introduction of the Murdrum fine for murdered Normans.
  • Continuation of most Anglo-Saxon laws.
  • Introduction of Forest Laws.
• What was the Murdrum fine?

  A heavy fine paid by the community if a Norman was murdered
• What were the Forest Laws?

  Laws that prevented ordinary people from hunting in the forest
• How did the Normans enforce law and order?

  They kept local systems of tithings and hue and cry
• What was trial by combat introduced by the Normans?

  The accused fought with the accuser until one was killed or unable to fight
• What was the role of church courts under the Normans?

  They were separate courts for churchmen and tended to be more lenient
• What change did the Normans make regarding wergild?

  They ended wergild and required fines to be paid to the king’s officials
• What was the trend in punishments during the later middle ages?

  There was a growing belief that harsh punishments deterred crime
• What were the law enforcement methods in the later middle ages?

  • Tithings and hue and cry continued.
  • Village constables were appointed annually.
  • Sheriffs assembled posses to hunt down criminals.
• What was the role of coroners in the later middle ages?

  To investigate all unnatural deaths
• What happened to trial by ordeal in 1215?

  It was abolished
• What were the common punishments for minor crimes in the later middle ages?

  Fines paid to the king's officials
• What were the forms of public humiliation used as punishment in the later middle ages?

  • Stocks and pillories for certain crimes.
  • Whipping in public.
• How did the use of capital punishment change during the later middle ages?

  It increased as a public deterrent
• What was the role of the Church in helping people avoid execution?

  It provided the option of claiming benefit of the clergy
• What was benefit of the clergy?

  The claim to be tried in the more lenient Church courts
• How did the Church courts differ from royal courts?

  Church courts never sentenced people to death
• What was the significance of trial by ordeal after 1215?

  It was abolished, leading to reliance on other forms of justice
• What were the key features of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605?

  • Aimed to blow up Parliament and kill King James.
  • Guy Fawkes placed 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament.
  • The plot was discovered, leading to arrests and executions.
• Who was the leader of the Gunpowder Plot?

  Robert Catesby
• What was the outcome for Guy Fawkes after the Gunpowder Plot was discovered?

  He was arrested, tortured, and identified the other plotters
• What was the punishment for the plotters of the Gunpowder Plot?

  They were sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered