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MEDIEVAL: The Church - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The church claimed they had the right to try any clergyman accused of a crime in its own courts.
      - The trial would be in the presence of a local bishop.
      - The main difference with the church court was that they would never sentence anyone to death regardless of how serious the crime was.
      - This meant someone could get away with murder.
      - Moral offences such as failure to attend church, adultery and drunkenness were usually dealt with by the church courts
  - - - If you had committed a crime, were on the run and you could reach a church, you would have been able to claim sanctuary.
      - This means that the church would protect you.
      - No one would be able to remove you from the church, not even the County Sheriff.
      - The criminal would have 40 days during which to decide whether to face trial in the church court, or leave the country
      - If they opted to leave the country they would have to travel to the nearest port barefoot, carrying a wooden cross and get onboard the first ship heading abroad.
  - - - This was when the accused claimed the right to be tried in the church courts, usually because they were more lenient.
      - In theory, this right should only have been for priests and men of the church.
      - But, in reality, if you were connected to the church in any way you could claim this right.
      - The church would often test people claiming benefit of the clergy by making them read a verse from the bible.
      - This verse became known as the ‘neck verse’ as it saved your neck, or enabled you to escape hanging.