Based primarily on Webb, Records, v I pg. 63ff. I have modernized his language in some cases, and added more information when I didn't have his level of familiarity with Anglo-Norman property rights.
a local court, composed of landowners (at least at the time of the charter)
a fine paid to the alderman or king, as punishment for the shedding of blood
generic term for a violation or breech
a fine paid to a lord, as punishment for impregnating one of the lord's bondwomen
an annual tax imposed for the first time in the 10th or 11th centuries, to raise funds for protection from the Danes; continued after the Conquest as a generic land tax
feudal land reserved by the lord of the manor for his own use, as opposed to that property granted to serfs or tenants; in the charter, St. Bartholomew the Great is designated a demesne chapel of the Crown, exempt from many forms of taxation and public service
a fine paid for the crime of avoiding a military expedition; also defined as a release from murder committed in the army
a fine paid for disturbing the peace
sheltering a fugitive or outlaw
apparently at this time period, the king had the right to select
provender from the markets before anyone else. This fine was paid if
the guilty party selected the food required by the king.
the right to grant sanctuary (asylum) to accused criminals
breach of the peace
tax paid to the crown
burglary or other attack on a man's house; also the fine charged for such a crime
money contributed towards the payment of a royal customs charge or other duty on goods
a fine paid for hanging a thief without due process; or for hanging a thief who escaped from custody
an "extraordinary" tax (one charged in times of unusual need),
assessed by the king based on the amount of land held by a property
owner. A hide is a unit of tax assessment (not land measurement in the
modern sense) dating back to the Anglo-Saxons.
In Anglo-Saxon times, shires (roughly equivalent to local counties)
were divided into hundreds for ease of government and administration.
The Hundred Court was comprised of local "substantial men," able to
resolve pleas and disputes.
a tax levied within a hundred
the right of a local lord to judge a thief captured on his property
a payment made to the holder of a fair or market, allowing goods to be carried freely
a fine paid to a lord, in punishment for having sex with the lord's bondwoman
an error or change in testimony before a court; also the fine
charged for making such an error (I don't know if this is equivalent to
the modern crime of perjury). Related to Miskenynge, the changing of
speech in court.
violation of anything taken under royal guardianship or wardship; Webb says his definition is speculative.
the right of a local lord to pursue a thief outside the boundaries of his own property (an early version of extradition?)
food eaten by pigs, from forests (acorns and truffles, maybe); therefore the right to keep herds of swine in a particular forest
fee paid for transport across a river or an ocean [does not appear
in Webb's translation of the charter, although term is implied in the
clause "in all passing of roads or bridges"]
contribution paid for a road or highway to be paved; therefore the right to collect such fees
contribution paid for the construction and maintenance of a bridge
explicit right of jurisdiction granted to the lord of a manor, by
the Crown or its representative; gives the lord the right to try cases
and to collect fees imposed based on the court's decision
(early: showing?) Webb says "identification," but use of this word
in other places suggests "demonstrating" might be more accurate. Maybe
the right to validate identity, or the accuracy of a document? [Also
note: at this point in transcribing Webb's wordlist, I've noticed that
some of the words are spelled differently in the charter text than they
are in the glossary.]
generic term for a fee or tax
cash payment to a lord, in exchange for the military service incurred as part of the feudal relationship
the county court held by the sheriff; the court of appeals for
disputed decisions by the hundred court (but no formalized appeal
process existed, at least not in the modern sense)
suffix indicating the right to collect fees; may also indicate the right to grant sanctuary or protect
fee paid for the right to hold a stall at a fair or market
a court's jurisdiction over "foreigners," any person not resident in
the locality (judging by this discussion, the definition is not as
universally accepted as Webb implies)
taxes paid to a town or market [included in Webb's glossary, but not used in translation of charter]
fine paid as punishment for letting a captured criminal escape
"wapentake" is a northern synonym for "hundred," so these are the local courts in the northern parts of England
exempted from the payment normally required in lieu of service as a guard
money paid in exchange for service as a guard (also guard-penny)
punishment without the benefit of trial in the King's Court. Webb
states this is probably equivalent to Theftbote, which is defined as
"compensation for the loss of stolen goods."
Webb says "Wyta was a fine or punishment for slight offences; Wera for graver offences."
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Rahere's Garden Home tbird's home page Photographs and text copyright Tina Bird, 2003-2019 Last modified 15 February 2019 |
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