medieval

• 1068-71 - several anglo saxan unrisings against norman rule

  1069 - particularly serious rebellion in the north of England - this was responded to by William marching and devastating the area - hundreds killed, homes and crops burned - called the harrowing of the north
• by early 12th century, Norman law codes suggested a range of punishments for the same crime
• • normans built castles in strategic locations to help prevent unrest and enforce law and order
  • Earls became less powerful and sheriffs started to act as king's main representative
  • By 1100, all Anglo-Saxon nobles had been replaced by Normans
• court system reorganised in 1166 - royal judges travelled the country to hear cases

  role of coroner created in 1194

  king appointed Keepers of the peace in areas of disorder in 1195

  Keepers of the peace were now in all areas and called Justices of the peace in 1327
• Statues of Labourers - 1351

  it was now a crime to:

  • ask your Lord for higher wages
  • move away from your Lord's land to seek higher wages
  • work for more than the set maximum wage
• 1351 Treason Act


  redefined treason as any attempt to overthrow or harm the king - new punishment of being hung, drawn, and quartered
• From 1382, heretics could be arrested and tried in church courts.

  In 1401, law was passed that meant heretics who refused to give up their beliefs could be burned at the stake.
• In early 13th century, the church ran its own courts to try people for moral crimes
• Benefit of the Clergy

  • From 1172 any clergyman accused of crimes had the right to be tried in a church court
  • to claim this criminals had to read a certain passage or verse from the Bible - based on belief that on priests or monks could read
• 1215- the Pope declared that clergymen could no longer take part in trial by ordeal as they could not take part in 'judicial tests'