medieval england

• time period - 1000-1500
• crimes against man


  murder, robbery
• crimes against property


  arson, theft
• crimes against authority


  treason, breaking the kings peace
• punishments focused on deterrence and retribution

  serious crimes = death, lesser crimes = mutilation / flogging
• wergild - early form of compensation, paid to victim / family
• law enforcement in anglo saxon england

  kings were responsible for creating laws and keeping peace
• hue and cry - collective hunt for the criminal in the community
• tithing - group of 10 men over the age of 12 who were responsible for each other
• trial by ordeal - judgement taken to god if local court couldn't reach a verdict
• trial by boiling water - healed = innocent / not healed = guilty
• trial by cold water - sank = innocent / float = guilty
• trial by hot iron - healed = innocent / not healed = guilty
• normans came to power in 1066
• murdrum fine - if a norman was killed and the killer wasnt found then local anglo saxons paid a fine
• forest laws - denied ordinary people the right to hunt in royal forests
• poaching - punished by blinding, fingers removed, executed
• wergild paid to the king when normans came to power
• trial by combat - fight till the death
• castles introduced to enforce the law
• royal judges - travel country for serious cases
• keepers of the peace - uphold the law
• parish constables - upheld law in their area for a year (unpaid)
• heresy - crime of speaking out against the church
• benefit of the clergy - tried in a more lenient court, 'neck verse' proved innocence
• sanctuary - claimed in the church and couldnt be prosecuted for 40 days