Law enforcers The courts Law enforcement in the towns.
Sheriff – King’s agent in each county, Royal court – Tried most serious crimes. Most people lived in the countryside and had the law received a share of all fines paid, worked enforcement mentioned on the first page. The law Jury came from the criminal’s local area. closely with coroner and chief constable. They would use their knowledge of the enforcement was the same in the towns as it was in the Would gather a posse to search for criminals. criminal. Judges would travel to counties to countryside with some additions. try cases but this was irregular and Chief constables of the hundred – 2 Watchmen – 1285 – Patrolled the gates and walls at night. inefficient. appointed each year. Ensured every free man They carried lamps. The arrested suspicious strangers and between 15-60 was equipped and ready to Quarter assizes – 1293 King Edward orders took them to the constable in the morning. Called the hue fight in the king’s army. royal judges from London to visit each and cry if they discovered a crime. county 2 or 3 times a year to try serious Parish constable – 1 year appointment. Carry Borough courts – Similar to hundred courts as most men in crimes in that area. on with full time job. Make sure his parish towns were freemen and had no lord to judge them. could supply armed men. From 1363 – Make Justices of the peace (JPs) 1361 – took over Church courts – Tried crimes and people linked to the men practice archery every Sunday. court duties from sheriff (Hundred court) church. E.G crime - sex outside of marriage, people – Tried non-serious crimes in their county. 3/4 People – Grouped in to 10 men – Tithings. priests. JPs. 1388 - these courts were held 4 times a Victims of crime would call for a hue and cry. year - Quarter sessions. People had to chase the criminal. Punishments Manor courts – dealt with most local crimes. Including theft and land disputes. Lord ran Fines – Manor court Lord, Borough courts Town the court. leader, Church courts Church, Hundred courts/Quarter sessions King.
How to avoid the death penalty Public humiliation – Cucking stool, pillory, publicly confessing sins. Run, seek sanctuary Stay in a church or cathedral for 40 days and 40 nights, confess sins to a coroner and then ‘abjure the realm.’ (Leave England forever.) Have powerful friends Imprisonment – Not used as punishment for serious crimes They could pressure juries in to letting the accused off. Refuse to plead – Would be sent – Keep people awaiting trial. Could be used to punish back to gaol until they did, hope for a friendly jury, buy a pardon Buy forgiveness from debtors, forgers, people who could not pay their fines. the king, join the king’s army, pregnancy, benefit of clergy Members of the church could Death – Hanging rape, murder, theft of goods worth not be put on a trial in any court except the church court. The church court did not give out more than 12d, burglary, robbery. Hanging, drawing and the death penalty. If the accused could read a certain verse from The Bible it would prove quartering high treason, counterfeiting. Burned alive they were a priest as only priests could read. Become a king’s approver – name 10 other men petty treason, heresy. Local variations on hanging who are guilty of serious crimes. thrown off cliffs at Dover.
themselves. amongst fought
. physical contact physical
husband. Lords created own armies and and armies own created Lords husband.
football with with football of games big have and
, counterfeiting, killing killing counterfeiting, , king kill to Plotting
Villages would hold fairs fairs hold would Villages – days Feast
– treason defined Parliament of Act 1351
ale. drank people so safe not was
beliefs. false spreading and heresy crimes, Life set by church calendar. Water Water calendar. church by set Life
them as sinful. Church dealt with moral moral with dealt Church sinful. as them
night. at
Church saw saw Church – games other and gambling
valued goods. Kept inside the houses houses the inside Kept goods. valued
Laws would sometimes be passed against against passed be sometimes would Laws
their home. Animals are the most most the are Animals home. their
will. his in fathers their by nd la given Peasants are not free to move from from move to free not are Peasants
Others such as Eustace Folville were not not were Folville Eustace as such Others
army. the in fight to ready weapons
because they hadn’t turned up to court. court. to up turned hadn’t they because
tools close by. Adult men had to keep keep to had men Adult by. close tools
Most members of the gangs were outlawed outlawed were gangs the of members Most
All work done by hand, peasants kept kept peasants hand, by done work All
robbed houses, threatened to use arson. arson. use to threatened houses, robbed
Gangs of robbers. Ambushed travellers, travellers, Ambushed robbers. of Gangs France. and Scotland against fought
Most feared and despised. despised. and feared Most – Outlaws Revolt 1381, Wars of the Roses, kings kings Roses, the of Wars 1381, Revolt
Peasants Peasants – rebellion and war Some
century 5 1 the from Crimes
th
peasants.
divided into strips farmed by by farmed strips into divided
. Land Land . work important Most – Farming
manors/parishes. vagrancy and Scolding 1400 – 1350 crimes New
govt. Hundreds divided in to to in divided Hundreds govt.
hunger. by started Usually – arguments.
Main local local Main – hundreds to in divided
Over half of Medieval murders came from from came murders Medieval of half Over
county given to a lord. Counties Counties lord. a to given county
king. the to evidence Gave – coroner. Each Each – counties to in divided Land
All sudden deaths had to be reported to a a to reported be to had deaths sudden All
else. everyone and Lords (church)
property. or person a to harm limited debt, 12d,
Clergy Clergy – groups 3 in people King’s
Stealing goods worth less than than less worth goods Stealing – crimes Petty
England
hanged.
had to rely on loyalty to control all all control to loyalty on rely to had
Stealing more than 12d worth of goods could be be could goods of worth 12d than more Stealing
King = God’s representative on earth, earth, on representative God’s = King
murder = Suicide 40% Theft 24%, Burglary
God in believe People – Catholic Roman 48 Homicide 18%, Robbery 9.5%, 9.5%, Robbery 18%, Homicide 48 – 1300
overview Period 1500 – 1250 – Crimes
organiser knowledge punishment and crime 1500) - (1250 Medieval