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Frankpledge

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142:, who was held responsible for the behaviour of all his "men"; his estate became, so to speak, a private frith-borh, consisting of dependents instead of the freemen of the public frith-borhs. These two systems, with many variations, existed side by side; but there was a general tendency for the freemen to get fewer and for the lords to grow more powerful. 159:
effect that they had no hand in the escape of the summoned man: they would otherwise be held responsible for the deeds of the fugitive and could be forced to pay any fines his actions had incurred. This examination of the members of the tything before the court is the origin of the phrase "view of frankpledge".
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The borh was a system of surety whereby individuals – a family member, a master for servants, a lord for dependents – became responsible for producing others in court in event of misdemeanors. At the same time, late Anglo-Saxon society increasingly shared responsibility in legal matters in groups of
158:
The tithing eventually became a territorial unit, part of the vill, while the eventual merger of borh and tithing underpinned the Norman frankpledge system. In its ultimate form, if an individual did not appear when summoned to court the remaining members of the tithing could swear an oath to the
182:
The bi-annual view of frankpledge which was carried out by the sheriff involved payment of a tithing penny to the sheriff, as well as other opportunities for profit including fines: for this reason exemption from the tourn, or the private takeover of view of frankpledge by lords or boroughs, were
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chosen from among them, with the responsibility of producing in the court of justice any man of their number who was summoned. The first tythings were entirely voluntary associations, being groups formed through the mutual consent of their free members. The aspect of the system which initially
195:
The frankpledge system began to decline in the 14th century. The extension of centralised royal administration on the one hand, and the increasing appropriation of view of frankpledge by private landlords of the other, both served to undermine the local system; as too did greater agrarian
90:(literally "peace-pledge") the clear anticipation of frankpledge; others consider the 12th-century commentators were reading back into earlier times the later concept, and that the borh system was much less rigid and comprehensive than frankpledge. On this view, 446:
Cf. Stubbs (1906:12–13). It is probable that the households of the men were also to be included, and the tything could thus be seen as a "thing of ten households". Cf. Pearson (1867:250–1). To aid in the effort of administration,
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the landless man was worthless as a member of a frith-borh, for the law had little hold over a man who had no land to forfeit and no fixed habitation. So the landless man was compelled by law to submit to a
98:
with respect to the French invaders, played an important role in systematically and universally making the tithing adopt compulsory frankpledge, so as to increase and consolidate the power of the
800: 770:
Pratt, David (2010). "Written Law and the Communication of Authority in Tenth-Century England". In Rollason, David; Leyser, Conrad; Williams, Hannah (eds.).
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prevented its being made universally compulsory was that only landed individuals could be forced to pay any fines which might be put upon the group:
772: 64:
While women, clergy and the richer freemen were exempt, otherwise all men over 12 years of age were organised in the system for mutual surety.
57:-man, was then responsible for producing any man of that tithing suspected of a crime. If the man did not appear, the entire group could be 661: 167:
Frankpledge did not at first take place in Wales or eight Northern and border counties, but elsewhere was common in the area under the
670: 805: 762:
Duggan, Kenneth F. (2020) "The Limits of Strong Government: Attempts to Control Criminality in Thirteenth-Century England",
17: 231:
were, collectively, directly responsible for repaying any damages due to a riot within their area. Under the Act (and
781: 460: 303:
Kenneth F. Duggan "The Limits of Strong Government: Attempts to Control Criminality in Thirteenth-Century England"
810: 129: 117: 219:
Ultimately, the principle behind frankpledge still remains in force, in England and Wales, with regard to
200:. Nevertheless, the system survived in places into the 15th century, although increasingly superseded by 232: 99: 49:. The essential characteristic was the compulsory sharing of responsibility among persons connected in 254: 235:), the damages are indirectly levied on the local population via the police rate (now a component in 224: 773:
England and the Continent in the Tenth Century: Studies in Honour of Wilhelm Levison (1876-1947)
91: 79: 655: 209: 484:
Stubbs (1906:12–13). Above the tythingman was the borhsman, with the next above being the
8: 279: 187:
sought explicitly to restrict what the sheriff could legitimately demand of frankpledge.
74: 714: 725: 703: 172: 683: 777: 745: 139: 42: 448: 408: 201: 122: 83: 46: 268: 147: 463:, a system of division which subsequently became common in the area under the 794: 650: 382: ; and so (in the Norman French) the compound word was converted into 665:. Vol. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 34–35. 485: 228: 475:, while the tything remained common in the south and southwest of England. 196:
differentiation and mobility – a process exacerbated by the impact of the
284: 274: 236: 197: 184: 264: 259: 58: 472: 179:
also began to appear in shires like Northumberland and Cumberland.
654: 464: 456: 452: 168: 95: 54: 50: 38: 34: 72:
The first mention of frankpledge comes in 1114–1118, with the
468: 249: 176: 82:
were keen to link it to pre-Norman times, and to the laws of
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The Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law
220: 372:  became, by a very natural blunder, corrupted into 53:. This unit, under a leader known as the chief-pledge or 737:
A History of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings, Vol. II
162: 705:
The History of England: A Study in Political Evolution
342:
Smith (1857:230) notes: "The Anglo-Saxon term for the
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The History of England: A Study in Political Evolution
86:. Some historians have indeed seen in the Anglo-Saxon 675: 175:. By the time of Edward I, however, the sheriff's 695:History of England During the Middle Ages, Vol. I 801:History of law enforcement in the United Kingdom 792: 190: 459:(d. 1035) declared that men be organized into 716:The Parish: Its Powers and Obligations at Law 362:  – literally 'peace-pledge'. The term 212:: their oversight represented the remains of 183:valued privileges; while conversely the 1217 128:The tything was under the leadership of a 102:and to establish a more stringent policy. 649: 239:) in the relevant local authority area. 701: 692: 530:The Government of England under Henry I 105: 14: 793: 734: 723: 681: 488:or head-borough. Cf. White (1895:200). 769: 743: 712: 556:Medieval Society and the Manor Court, 111:ten. The group was referred to as a 750:. London: Swan Sonneschein & Co. 582:Medieval Society and the Manor Court 318:Medieval Society and the Manor Court 163:Geography and profits of frankpledge 27:System of surety in medieval England 499:The Medieval Foundations of England 435:The Medieval Foundations of England 331:The Formation of English Common Law 24: 756: 730:. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 25: 822: 727:Lectures on Early English History 78:; but 12th-century figures like 708:. London: Williams and Norgate. 693:Pearson, Charles Henry (1867). 626: 613: 600: 587: 574: 561: 548: 535: 522: 513: 504: 491: 478: 440: 427: 418: 402: 389: 336: 323: 310: 297: 13: 1: 806:Medieval English court system 642: 267:for a similar institution in 595:The Medieval English Sheriff 569:The Medieval English Sheriff 543:The Medieval English Sheriff 397:The Medieval English Sheriff 191:Later historical development 7: 702:Pollard, Albert F. (1912). 242: 10: 827: 545:(Manchester 1968) p. 203–4 67: 747:Outlines of Legal History 744:White, Archer M. (1895). 735:Thorpe, Benjamin (1845). 697:. London: Bell and Daldy. 682:Morgan, C. Lloyd (1885). 307:93:261 (2020) pp. 402–409 255:Collective responsibility 766:93:261, pp. 399–419 724:Stubbs, William (1906). 597:(Manchester 1968) p. 204 571:(Manchester 1968) p. 156 399:(Manchester 1968), p. 26 291: 125:(assembly) of ten men". 713:Smith, Toulmin (1857). 662:Encyclopædia Britannica 225:Riot (Damages) Act 1886 171:, and in the south and 739:. London: John Murray. 685:The Springs of Conduct 208:– operating under the 156: 94:, with the revival of 33:was a system of joint 811:Collective punishment 688:. London: Kegan Paul. 415:(London 1966), p. 314 413:William the Conqueror 210:justices of the peace 135: 92:William the Conqueror 80:William of Malmesbury 501:(London 1967) p. 188 437:(London 1967) p. 188 347:view of frank-pledge 233:its 2016 replacement 173:southwest of England 106:Anglo-Saxon sureties 764:Historical Research 719:. London: H. Sweet. 656:"Frankpledge"  305:Historical Research 280:Neighbourhood watch 214:view of frankpledge 75:Leges Henrici Primi 18:View of frankpledge 424:Thorpe (1845:334). 227:, members of each 634:The English Manor 608:The English Manor 519:Smith (1857:230). 510:Stubbs (1906:13). 333:(2014), pp. 63–64 148:Albert F. Pollard 43:Early Middle Ages 16:(Redirected from 818: 787: 751: 740: 731: 720: 709: 698: 689: 669:Olson, Trisha. " 666: 658: 637: 630: 624: 617: 611: 604: 598: 591: 585: 578: 572: 565: 559: 552: 546: 539: 533: 526: 520: 517: 511: 508: 502: 495: 489: 482: 476: 444: 438: 431: 425: 422: 416: 409:David C. Douglas 406: 400: 393: 387: 380: 376: 370: 366: 360: 356: 350: 346: 340: 334: 327: 321: 314: 308: 301: 202:local constables 154: 84:Canute the Great 47:High Middle Ages 21: 826: 825: 821: 820: 819: 817: 816: 815: 791: 790: 784: 759: 757:Further reading 754: 645: 640: 631: 627: 621:Poor Discipline 618: 614: 605: 601: 592: 588: 579: 575: 566: 562: 553: 549: 540: 536: 527: 523: 518: 514: 509: 505: 496: 492: 483: 479: 445: 441: 432: 428: 423: 419: 407: 403: 394: 390: 378: 374: 368: 364: 358: 354: 348: 344: 341: 337: 328: 324: 315: 311: 302: 298: 294: 289: 245: 193: 165: 155: 146: 108: 70: 41:throughout the 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 824: 814: 813: 808: 803: 789: 788: 782: 767: 758: 755: 753: 752: 741: 732: 721: 710: 699: 690: 679: 667: 653:, ed. (1911). 651:Chisholm, Hugh 646: 644: 641: 639: 638: 625: 612: 599: 593:W. A. Morris, 586: 573: 567:W. A. Morris, 560: 547: 541:W. A. Morris, 534: 521: 512: 503: 497:G. O. Sayles, 490: 477: 449:King Canute II 439: 433:G. O. Sayles, 426: 417: 401: 395:W. A. Morris, 388: 335: 322: 309: 295: 293: 290: 288: 287: 282: 277: 272: 262: 257: 252: 246: 244: 241: 192: 189: 164: 161: 144: 107: 104: 69: 66: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 823: 812: 809: 807: 804: 802: 799: 798: 796: 785: 783:9782503532080 779: 775: 774: 768: 765: 761: 760: 749: 748: 742: 738: 733: 729: 728: 722: 718: 717: 711: 707: 706: 700: 696: 691: 687: 686: 680: 678: 677: 672: 668: 664: 663: 657: 652: 648: 647: 636:(2002) p. 184 635: 629: 622: 616: 610:(2002) p. 181 609: 603: 596: 590: 584:(1996) p. 408 583: 580:Z. Razi ed., 577: 570: 564: 558:(1996) p. 408 557: 554:Z. Razi ed., 551: 544: 538: 532:(1989) p. 111 531: 525: 516: 507: 500: 494: 487: 481: 474: 470: 466: 462: 458: 454: 451:the Great of 450: 443: 436: 430: 421: 414: 410: 405: 398: 392: 385: 381: 371: 361: 351: 339: 332: 326: 320:(1996) p. 408 319: 316:Z. Razi ed., 313: 306: 300: 296: 286: 283: 281: 278: 276: 273: 270: 266: 263: 261: 258: 256: 253: 251: 248: 247: 240: 238: 234: 230: 226: 222: 217: 215: 211: 207: 206:chief pledges 204:– the former 203: 199: 188: 186: 180: 178: 174: 170: 160: 153: 149: 143: 141: 140:manorial lord 134: 131: 126: 124: 120: 119: 114: 103: 101: 97: 93: 89: 85: 81: 77: 76: 65: 62: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 36: 32: 19: 771: 763: 746: 736: 726: 715: 704: 694: 684: 674: 660: 633: 628: 623:(1993) p. 19 620: 615: 607: 602: 594: 589: 581: 576: 568: 563: 555: 550: 542: 537: 529: 524: 515: 506: 498: 493: 486:borough-head 480: 442: 434: 429: 420: 412: 404: 396: 391: 384:Frank-pledge 383: 373: 363: 353: 343: 338: 330: 325: 317: 312: 304: 299: 229:civil parish 223:. Until the 218: 213: 205: 194: 181: 166: 157: 151: 136: 127: 116: 112: 109: 87: 73: 71: 63: 30: 29: 776:. Brepols. 671:Frankpledge 632:M. Bailey, 619:J. Simons, 606:M. Bailey, 352:  is 329:J. Hudson, 285:Norman yoke 275:Hue and cry 237:council tax 198:Black Death 185:Magna Carta 31:Frankpledge 795:Categories 643:References 528:J. Green, 357:frith-borh 265:Gonin Gumi 260:Court leet 130:tythingman 121:, i.e. a " 88:frith-borh 37:common in 35:suretyship 473:Yorkshire 461:hundreds 269:Tokugawa 243:See also 145:—  113:teothung 51:tithings 467:, from 465:Danelaw 457:England 453:Denmark 169:Danelaw 118:tything 100:Normans 96:murdrum 68:Origins 55:tithing 39:England 780:  469:Essex 379:' 375:' 369:' 367:frith 365:' 359:' 355:' 349:' 345:' 292:Notes 271:Japan 250:Frith 221:riots 177:tourn 123:thing 59:fined 778:ISBN 455:and 377:free 45:and 673:", 471:to 115:or 797:: 659:. 411:, 386:." 216:. 150:, 61:. 786:. 20:)

Index

View of frankpledge
suretyship
England
Early Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
tithings
tithing
fined
Leges Henrici Primi
William of Malmesbury
Canute the Great
William the Conqueror
murdrum
Normans
tything
thing
tythingman
manorial lord
Albert F. Pollard
Danelaw
southwest of England
tourn
Magna Carta
Black Death
local constables
justices of the peace
riots
Riot (Damages) Act 1886
civil parish
its 2016 replacement

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