Oath-Taking and Oath-Breaking in Medieval Lceland and Anglo-Saxon England
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Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 12-2014 Bound by Words: Oath-taking and Oath-breaking in Medieval lceland and Anglo-Saxon England Gregory L. Laing Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, Medieval History Commons, and the Medieval Studies Commons Recommended Citation Laing, Gregory L., "Bound by Words: Oath-taking and Oath-breaking in Medieval lceland and Anglo-Saxon England" (2014). Dissertations. 382. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/382 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BOUND BY WORDS: THE MOTIF OF OATH-TAKING AND OATH-BREAKING IN MEDIEVAL ICELAND AND ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND by Gregory L. Laing A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy English Western Michigan University December 2014 Doctoral Committee: Jana K. Schulman, Ph.D., Chair Eve Salisbury, Ph.D. Larry Hunt, Ph.D. Paul E. Szarmach, Ph.D. BOUND BY WORDS: THE MOTIF OF OATH-TAKING AND OATH-BREAKING IN MEDIEVAL ICELAND AND ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND Gregory L. Laing, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 2014 The legal and literary texts of early medieval England and Iceland share a common emphasis on truth and demonstrate its importance through the sheer volume of textual references. One of the most common applications of truth-seeking in these sources occurs in the swearing of oaths. Instances of oath-taking and oath-breaking, therefore, are critical textual loci wherein the language of swearing unites an individual’s socially constructed reputation and his personal guarantees under the careful supervision of the community. Traditionally, scholars looking at truth and attestation from the later medieval period tend to view early cases of swearing as procedural, artless, or largely instinctive. In “Bound by Words,” I examine the complexity and decisiveness of early swearing through a critical study of speech-act theory and by looking at law as a specific type of literature. Overall, this study of Anglo-Saxon and Icelandic texts brings together the major legal and literary sources to explore those moments when words attempt to guarantee action or when narratives focus on the contravention of that system. Such motifs invest language with the power to provide justice, yet these texts also demonstrate the potential for words to cause harm and thus treat them with appropriate caution. Ultimately, the project confronts this dependence on and apprehension toward swearing to demonstrate the critical ways that these legal and literary texts attempt to negotiate the power in and peril of trusting others. Copyright by Gregory L. Laing 2014 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge the countless number of individuals who have contributed to my education and to the pursuit of this degree, without any of whom I might never have been able to produce this dissertation. While I cannot mention everyone by name, I would like especially to thank a few people for their guidance, support, and patience with me as I labored to fully appreciate the details of oath-taking and oath-breaking. My committee chairperson, Dr. Jana K. Schulman, deserves my deepest thanks for her insightful suggestions and her tireless effort to inspire me with a heart-felt love of this subject. I also would like to thank her for first leading me to this topic during a wonderful seminar at the Newberry Library on the intersections of Anglo-Saxon law and literature, as well as in her subsequent Old English and Old Norse courses that continue to be among my fondest memories of my graduate school. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. Eve Salisbury for always being an inspirational example, whose expert wisdom I had the privilege of witnessing first-hand during the semester of working with her on the British Literature teaching practicum. Additionally I will never forget how Dr. Salisbury’s seminar on medieval English literature helped me to realize not only the scope, but also the intellectual and linguistic depths of these indispensable texts. Dr. Paul E. Szarmach also deserves my gratitude for inspiring me to purse the study of Old English. His seminar on Beowulf, co-taught with Dr. Schulman, still inspires me to ponder the nuances of translation and intensity of language. His numerous insights, especially those related to Anglo- Saxon homiletic and hagiographical texts, has been invaluable. Sincere thanks must also be ii Acknowledgments – continued given to Dr. Larry Hunt for his efforts as outside reader, his invaluable discussions with me over a variety of topics, and his genuine support as a colleague. I cannot thank the members of my committee enough for their contributions to my academic progress, or for their patience in working with me during this painstaking process. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their love and support. My wife, Kim, continues to be my advocate and friend, whose unwavering support has made all of this writing possible. My daughter, Jordan, has always reminded me to strive to achieve something more out of my life. My parents, Charles and Diana, were influential in encouraging me to pursue my love of things medieval, and I am especially grateful to them for all of their many words of encouragement throughout this process. Gregory L. Laing iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................. vi CHAPTER 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 ..................................................................................................................................... 21 TRACING THE PATHWAYS OF TRUTH ........................................................................................ 21 An Etymological Analysis of the Vocabulary of Sworn Language ......................................... 21 The Oath ................................................................................................................................ 27 Judicial Oaths ........................................................................................................................ 33 Oaths of Loyalty .................................................................................................................... 36 The Pledge ............................................................................................................................. 38 The Vow ................................................................................................................................. 46 The Truth ............................................................................................................................... 53 “Sooth” .................................................................................................................................. 59 Later Developments .............................................................................................................. 63 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................... 70 CHAPTER 3 ..................................................................................................................................... 72 SAFEGUARDING SWEARING WITHIN THE LAW ......................................................................... 72 Legal Prohibition and the Protection of Sworn Language .................................................... 72 Legal Approaches to Swearing .............................................................................................. 78 “Truth” Within the Laws ....................................................................................................... 82 The Pledge in the Laws .......................................................................................................... 96 THE OATH IN ANGLO-SAXON AND ICELANDIC LAW ................................................................ 107 The Coronation Oath ........................................................................................................... 107 Oath of Office ...................................................................................................................... 114 Judicial Oaths ...................................................................................................................... 119 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE FOR THE LEGAL APPLICATION OF SWORN LANGUAGE ............... 135 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................... 141 CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................................... 143 SWEARING AS