Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Anglo-Saxon Law enforcement. - Coggle Diagram
Anglo-Saxon Law enforcement.
Hue and Cry.
The victim or witness shouts to alert others to what's happened.
Anyone who hears this must stop what they are doing and chase the criminal.
It was the responsibility of the community to police itself.
Tithings
Shires were split into areas called hundreds and each hundred was split into 10 tithings.
A tithing had 10 men who were all responsible for each other. If 1 was accused of a crime they were all responsible for bringing him to justice.
If they didn't do this they were all punished / fined.
Oaths
Swearing an oath before god was were the accused could swear their innocence under an oath and others could support them as oath helpers.
Court system
If the suspect didn't admit to the crime or was not caught in the act their guilt or innocence was decided by the court.
There were different courts depending on the type of crime committed and the person who had committed it.
Royal courts
only dealt with the most serious crimes.
Shire courts
dealt with lesser crimes.
Hundred courts
dealt with petty crimes
The punishments that convicted criminals would receive took place in public.
The verdict of the accused
The victim and their family could give evidence of the suspects guilt in court.
If the jury couldn't decide then the accused was handed over to the Church so that God could decide and the accused would have to face trial by ordeal.
Trial by ordeal
There were a few different types or test the accused had to do but were all painful or dangerous.
Trial by hot water
They had to put their hand in hot water if it healed well they were classed as innocent.
Trial by cold water
they were submerged in cold water if they sank they were innocent.
Trial by hot iron
they had to carry a piece of hot iron and after this if it healed without infection they were classed as innocent.
The pope ordered the priests to stop doing these trials in
1215