The Laws of Æthelberht, King of Kent, 560-616 A.D.

These are the dooms which King Æthelberht established in the days of Augustine.

Of church-frith.

1. The property of God and of the church, twelvefold; a bishop's property, elevenfold; a priest's property, ninefold; a deacon's property, sixfold; a clerk's property, threefold; churchfrith, twofold;. . . .

2. If the king calls his leod to him, and any one there do them evil, (let him compensate with) a twofold bot, and fifty shillings to the king.

3. If the king drink at any one's home, and any one there do any lyswe, let him make two-fold bot.

4. If a freeman steal from the king, let him pay ninefold.

5. If a man slay another in the king's tun, let him make bot with fifty shillings.

6. If any one slay a freeman, fifty shillings to the king, as drihtinbeah.

7. If the king's ambihtsmith, or laadrinc, slay a man, let him pay a half leodgeld.

8. The king's mundbyrd, fifty shillings.

9. If a freeman steal from a freeman, let him make threefold bot; and let the king have the wite and all the chattels.

10. If a man lie with the king's maiden, let him pay a bot of fifty shillings.

11. If she be a grinding slave, let him pay a bot of twenty-five shillings. The third (class) twelve shillings.

12. Let the king's fedesl be paid for with twenty shillings

13. If a man slay another in an eorl's tun, let him make bot with twelve shillings.

14. If a man lie with an eorl's birele, let him make bot with twelve shillings.

15. A ceorl's mundbyrd, seven shillings.

16. If a man lie with a ceorl's birele, let him make bot with six shillings; with a slave of the second (class), fifty scaetts; with one of the third, thirty scaetts.

17. If any one be the first to make an inroad into a man's tun, let him make bot with six shillings; let him who follows, with three shillings; after, each, a shilling.

18. If a man furnish weapons to another where there is strife, though no evil be done, let him make bot with six shillings.

19. If wegreaf be done, let him make bot with six shillings.

20. If the man be slain, let him make bot with twenty shillings.

21. If a man slay another, let him make bot with a half leodgeld of 100 shillings. . . .

31. If a freeman lie with a freeman's wife, let him pay for it with his wergeld, and provide another wife with his own money, and bring her to the other.

32. If any one thrust through the riht hamscyld, let him adequately compensate.

33. If there be a feahfang, let there be fifty sceatts for bot.

34. If there be an exposure of the bone, let bot be made with three shillings.

35. If there be an injury of the bone, let bot be made with four shillings.

36. If the outer hion be broken, let bot be made with ten shillings.

37. If it be both, let bot be made with twenty shillings.

38. If a shoulder be lamed, let bot be made with thirty shillings.

39. If an ear be struck off, let bot be made with twelve shillings.

40. If the other ear hear not, let bot be made with twenty-five shillings.

41. If an ear be pierced, let bot be made with three shillings.

42. If an ear be mutilated, let bot be made with six shillings.

43. If an eye be (struck) out, let bot be made with fifty shillings.

44. If the mouth or an eye be injured, let bot be made with twelve shillings.

45. If the nose be pierced, let bot be made with nine shillings.

46. If it be one ala, let bot be made with three shillings.

47. If both be pierced, let bot be made with six shillings.

48. If the nose be otherwise mutilated, for each let bot be made with six shillings.

49. If it be pierced, let bot be made with six shillings.

50. Let him who breaks the chin-bone pay for it with twenty shillings.

51. For each of the four front teeth, six shillings; for the tooth which stands next to them four shillings; for that which stands next to that, three shillings; and then afterwards, for each a shilling.

52. If the speech be injured, twelve shillings. If the collar-bone be broken, let bot be made with six shillings.

53. Let him who stabs (another) through an arm, make bot with six shillings.

54. If a thumb be struck off, twenty shillings. If a thumb nail be off, let bot be made with three shillings. If the shooting [i. e. fore] finger be struck off, let bot be made with eight shillings. If the middle finger be struck off, let bot be made with four shillings. If the gold [i. e. ring] finger be struck off, let bot be made with six shillings. If the little finger be struck off, let bot be made with eleven shillings.

55. For every nail, a shilling.

56. For the smallest disfigurement of the face, three shillings: and for the greater, six shillings.

57. If any one strike another with his fist on the nose, three shillings.

58. If there be a bruise, a shilling; if he receive a right hand bruise, let him [the striker] pay a shilling.

59. If the bruise be black in a part not covered by the clothes, let bot be made with thirty scaetts.

60. If it be covered by the clothes, let bot for each be made with twenty scaetts.

61. If the belly be wounded, let bot be made with twelve shillings; if it be pierced through, let bot be made with twenty shillings.

62. If any one be gegemed, let bot be made with thirty shillings.

63. If any one be cear-wund, let bot be made with three shillings.

64. If any one destroy (another's) organ of generation, let him pay with three leud-gelds; if he pierce it through, let him make bot with six shillings; if it be pierced within, let him make bot with six shillings.

65. If a thigh be broken, let bot be made with twelve shillings; if the man become halt, then the friends must arbitrate.

66. If a rib be broken, let bot be made with three shillings.

67. If a thigh be pierced through, for each stab six shillings; if (the wound be) above an inch, a shilling; for two inches, two; above three, three shillings.

68. If a sinew be wounded, let bot be made with three shillings.

69. If a foot be cut off, let fifty shillings be paid.

70. If a great toe be cut off, let ten shillings be paid.

71. For each of the other toes, let one-half be paid, like as it is stated for the fingers.

72. If the nail of a great toe be cut off, thirty scaetts for bot; for each of the others, make bot with ten scaetts. . . .

77. If a man buy a maiden with cattle, let the bargain stand, if it be without guile; but if there be guile, let him bring her home again, and let his property be restored to him.

78. If she bear a live child, let her have half the property; if the husband die first.

79. If she wish to go away with her children, let her have half the property.

80. If the husband wish to have them, (let her portion be) as one child.

81. If she bear no child, let her paternal kindred have the fioh and the morgengyftt.

82. If a man carry off a maiden by force, let him pay fifty shillings to the owner, and afterwards buy (the object of) his will of the owner.

83. If she be betrothed to another in money, let him make bot with twenty shillings.

84. If she become gaengang, thirty-five shillings; and fifteen shillings to the king.

85. If a man lie with an esne's wife, her husband still living, let him make two-fold bot.

The Laws of Kings Hlothhære and Eadric, 673-686

These are the dooms which Hlothhære and Eadric, Kings of the Kentishmen, Established 673-686.

Hlothhære and Eadric, kings of the Kentishmen, augmented the laws, which their elders had before made, by these dooms, which hereafter say:

1. If any one's esne slay a man of an Eorl's degree, whoever it be, let the owner pay with three hundred shillings, give up the slayer, and add three manwyrths thereto.

2. If the slayer escape, let him add a fourth manwyrth, and let him prove, with good aewdas, that he could not obtain the slayer.

3. If any one's esne slay a freeman, whoever it be, let the owner pay with a hundred shillings, give up the slayer, and a second manwyrth thereto.

4. If the slayer escape, let the owner pay for him with two manwyrths; and let him prove, with good aewdas, that he could not obtain the slayer.

5. If a freeman steal a man; if the man return, and denounce him before the stermelda; let him clear himself, if he be able, and let him have the number of free aewda-men, and one with (himself) in the oath, each at the tun to which he belongs; if he be unable, let him pay. . .

16. If any Kentish-man buy a chattel in Lundenwic, let him then have two or three true men to witness, or the king's wic-reeve. If it be afterwards claimed of the man in Kent, let him then vouch the man who sold it to him to warranty, in the wic at the king's hall, if he know him, and can bring him to the warranty; if he can not do that, let him prove at the altar, with one of his witnesses or with the king's wic-reeve, that he bought the chattel openly in the wic, with his own property, and then let him be paid its worth; but if he can not prove that by lawful averment, let him give it up, and let the owner take possession of it.

The Laws of King Wihtræd, 690-725 A.D.

These are the Dooms of Wihtræd, King of the Kentish-Men.

In the reign of the most clement king of the Kentish-men, Wihtræd, in the fifth year of his reign, the ninth indiction, the sixth day of Rugern, in the place which is called Berghamstyde, where was assembled a deliberative convention of the great men, there was Birhtwald, archbishop of Britain, and the forenamed king; also the bishop of Rochester, the same was called Gybmund, was present; and every degree of the church of that province spoke in unison with the obedient people. There the great men decreed, with the suffrages of all, these dooms, and added them to the lawful customs of the Kentishmen, as it hereafter said and declared. . . .

16. Let the word of a bishop and of the king be, without an oath, incontrovertible.

17. Let the aldor of a minster clear himself with a priest's canne.

18. Let a priest clear himself by his own sooth, in his holy garment before the altar, thus saying: "Veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior." In like manner, let a deacon clear himself.

19. Let a clerk clear himself with four of his fellows, and he alone with his hand on the altar, let the others stand by, make the oath.

20. Let a stranger (clear himself) with his own oath at the altar; in like manner, a king's thane.

21. Let a ceorlish man clear himself with four of his fellows at the altar; and let the oath of all these be incontrovertible; then is the church canne right.

The Laws of King Alfred, 871-901 A.D.

The Lord spoke these words to Moses, and thus said: "I am the Lord your God. I led you out of the land of the Egyptians, and of their bondage.

Of oaths and of weds.

1. At the first we teach, that it is most needful that every man warily keep his oath and his wed. If any one be constrained to either of these wrongfully, either to treason against his lord, or to any unlawful aid; then it is juster to belie than to fulfil. But if he pledge himself to that which it is lawful to fulfil, and in that belie himself, let him submissively deliver up his weapon and his goods to the keeping of his friends, and be in prison forty days in a kings tun; let him there suffer whatever the bishop may prescribe to him; and let his kinsmen feed him, if he himself have no food. If he have no kinsmen, or have no food, let the king's reeve feed him. If he must be forced to this, and he otherwise will not, if they bind him, let him forfeit his weapons and his property. If he be slain, let him lie uncompensated. If he flee thereout before the time, and he be taken, let him be in prison forty days, as he should before have been. But if he escape, let him be held a fugitive, and be excommunicate of all Christ's churches. If, however, there be another man's borh, let him make bot for the borhbryce, as the law may direct him, and the wedbryce, as his confessor may prescribe to him.

Of churchsocns

2. If any one, for whatever crime, seek any of the mynsterhams to which the king's feorm is incident, or other freehired which is worthy of reverence, let him have a space of three days to protect himself, unless he be willing to come to terms. If during this space, any one harm him by blow, or by bond, or wound him, let him make bot for each of these according to regular usage, as well with wer as with wite: and to the brotherhood one hundred and twenty shillings, as bot for the churchfrith: and let him not have forlongen his own.

Of borhbryce

3. If any one break the king's borh, let him make bot for the plaint, as the law shall direct him; and for the borhbryce with five pounds of maerra pence. For an archbishop's borhbryce, or his mundbyrd, let him make bot with three pounds: for any other bishop's or an earldormans borhbryce, or mundbyrd, let him make bot with two pounds.

Of plotting against a lord.

4. If any one plot against the king's life, of himself, or by harbouring of exiles, or of his men; let him be liable with his life and in all that he has; or let him prove himself according to his lord's wer.

Of churchfryth

5. We also ordain to every church which has been hallowed by a bishop, this fryth: if a fahman flee to or reach one, that for seven days no one drag him out. But if anyone do so, let him be liable in the king's mundbyrd and the churchfryth; more if he there commit more wrong, if, despite of hunger, he can live; unless he fight his way out. If the brethren have further need of their church, let them keep him in another house, and let not that have more doors than the church. Let the churchealdor take care that during this term no one give him food. If he himself be willing to deliver up his weapons to his foes, let them keep him thirty days, and then let them give notice of him to his kinsmen. It is also churchfryth: if any man seek a church for any of those offences, which had not been before revealed, and there confess himself ill God's name, be it half forgiven. He who steals on Sunday, or at Yule, or at Easter, or on Holy Thursday, and on Rogation days; for each of these we will that the bot be twofold, as during Lent-fast.

Of stealing in a church.

6. If any one thieve aught in a church, let him pay the angylde, and the wite, such as shall belong to the angylde; and let the hand be struck off with which he did it. If he will redeem the hand, and that be allowed him, let him pay as may belong to his wer.

In case a man fight in the king's hall.

7. If any one fight in the king's hall, or draw his weapon, and he be taken; be it in the king's doom, either death, or life, as he may be willing to grant him. If he escape, and be taken again, let him pay for himself according to his wergeld, and make bot for the offence, as well wer as wite, according as he may have wrought.

Of fornication with a nun.

8. If any one carry off a nun from a minster, without the king's or the bishop's leave, let him pay a hundred and twenty shillings, half to the king, half to the bishop and to the church-hlaford who owns the nun. If she live longer than he who carried her off, let her not have aught of his property. If she bear a child, let not that have of the property more than the mother. If any one slay her child, let him pay to the king the maternal kindred's share; to the paternal kindred let their share be given. . . .

Of those men who lend their weapons for man-slaying.

19. If any one lend his weapon to another that he may kill some one therewith, they may join together if they will in the wer. If they will not join together, let him who lent the weapon pay of the wer a third part, and of the wite a third part. If he be willing to justify himself, that he knew of no ill-design in the loan; that he may do. If a sword-polisher receive another man's weapon to furbish, or a smith a man's material, let them both return it sound as either of them may have before received it: unless either of them had before agreed that he should not hold it angylde. . . .

Of confession of debt.

22. If any one at the folk-mote make declaration of a debt, and afterwards wish to withdraw it, let him charge it on a righter person, if he can; if he cannot, let him forfeit his angylde [and take possession of the wite.] . . .

Of kinless men.

27. If a man, kinless of paternal relatives, fight, and slay a man, and then if he have maternal relatives, let them pay a third of the wer; his guild-brethren a third part; for a third let him flee. If he have no maternal relatives, let his guild-brethren pay half, for half let him flee.

Of slaying a man thus circumstanced.

28. If a man kill a man thus circumstanced, if he have no relatives, let half be paid to the king; half to his guild-brethren.

Of hloth-slaying of a two-hynde man.

29. If any one with a hloth slay an unoffending twy-hynde man, let him who acknowledges the death-blow pay wer and wite; and let every one who was of the party pay thirty shillings as hloth-bot.

Of a six-hynde man.

30. If it be a six-hynde man, let every man pay sixty shillings as hloth-bot; and the slayer, wer and full wite.

Of a twelve-hynde man.

31. If he be a twelve-hynde man, let each of them pay one hundred and twenty shillings; and the slayer, wer and wite. If a hloth do this, and afterwards will deny it on oath, let them all be accused, and let them then all pay the wer in common; and all, one wite, such as shall belong to the wer.

Of those who commit folk-leasing.

32. If a man commit folk-leasing, and it be fixed upon him, with no lighter thing let him make bot than that his tongue be cut out; which must not be redeemed at any cheaper rate than it is estimated at according to his wer. . . .

Of a holdgetael.

37. If a man from one holdgetael wish to seek a lord in another holdgetael, let him do it with the knowledge of the ealdorman whom he before followed in his shire. If he do it without his knowledge, let him who entertains him as his man pay 120 shillings as wite; let him, however, deal the half to the king in the shire where he before followed, half in that into which he comes. If he has done anything wrong where he before was, let him make bot for it who has their received him as his man; and to the king 120 shillings as wite.

The Laws of King Edward the Elder, 901-924 A.D.

In case a man fight before an ealdorman in the gemot.

38. If a man fight before a king's ealdorman in the gemot, let him make bot with wer and wite as it may be right; and before this 120 shillings to the ealdorman as wite. If he disturb the folkmote by drawing his weapon, one hundred and twenty shillings to the ealdorman as wite. If aught of this happen before a king's ealdorman's junior, or a king's priest, thirty shillings as wite.

Of fighting in a ceorlish man's flet.

39. If any one fight in a ceorlish man's flet, with six shillings let him make bot to the ceorl. If he draw his weapon and fight not, let it be half of that. If, however, either of these happen to a six-hynde man, let it increase threefoldly, according to the ceorlish bot to a twelve-hynde man, twofoldly, according to the six-hynde's bot.

Of burh-bryce.

40. The king's burh-bryce shall be 120 shillings. An archbishop's, ninety shillings. Any other bishop's, and an ealdorman's, sixty shillings. A twelve-hynde man's, thirty shillings. A six-hynde man's, fifteen shillings. A ceorl's edorbryce, five shillings. If aught of this happen when the fyrd is out, or in Lent fast, let the bot be twofold. If any one in Lent put down holy law among the people without leave, let him make bot with 120 shillings.

Of boc-lands.

41. The man who has boc-land, and which his kindred left him, then ordain we that he must not give it from his maeg-burg, if there be writing or witness that it was forbidden by those men who at first acquired it, and by those who gave it to him, that he should do so; and then let that be declared in the presence of the king and of the bishop, before his kinsmen.

Of feuds.

42. We also command: that the man who knows his foe be homesitting fight not before he demand justice of him. If he have such power that he can beset his foe, and besiege him within, let him keep him within for seven days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And, then, after seven days, if he will surrender, and deliver up his weapons, let him be kept safe for thirty days, and let notice of him be given to his kinsmen and his friends. If, however, he flee to a church, then let it be according to the sanctity of the church; as we have before said above. But if he have not sufficient power to besiege him within, let him ride to the ealdorman, and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him ride to the king before he fights. In like manner also, if a man come upon his foe, and he did not before know him to be homestaying; if he be willing to deliver up his weapons, let him be kept for thirty days, and let notice of him be given to his friends; if he will not deliver up his weapons, then he may attack him. If he be willing to surrender, and to deliver up his weapons, and any one after that attack him, let him pay as well wer as wound, as he may do, and wite, and let him have forfeited his maegship. We also declare, that with his lord a man may fight orwige, if any one attack the lord: thus may the lord fight for his man. After the same wise, a man may fight with his born kinsman, if a man attack him wrongfully, except against his lord; that we do not allow. And a man may fight orwige, if he find another with his lawful wife, within closed doors, or under one covering, or with his lawfully-born daughter, or with his lawfully-born sister, or with his mother, who was given to his father as his lawful wife.

Of the celebration of mass-days.

43. To all freemen let these days be given, but not to theow-men and esne-workmen: twelve days at Yule, and the day on which Christ overcame the devil, and the commemoration day of St. Gregory, and seven days before Easter and seven days after, and one day at St. Peter's tide and St. Paul's, and in harvest the whole week before St. Mary-mass, and one day at the celebration of All-Hallows and the four Wednesdays in the four ember weeks. To all theow-men be given, to those whom it may be most desirable to give, whatever any man shall give them in God's name, or they at any of their moments may deserve.

Of doom and suit.

King Edward commands all the reeves: that you judge such just dooms as you know to be most righteous, and as in the doom-book stands. Fear not on any account to pronounce folkright; and that every suit have a term when it shall be brought forward, that you then may pronounce.

Of buying.

1. And I will that every man have his warrantor; and that no man buy out of port, but have the port-reeve's witness, or that of other unlying men whom one may believe. And if any one buy out of port then let him incur the king's oferhyrnes, and let the warranty nevertheless go forward, until it be known where it shall stop. Also we have ordained: that he who should vouch to warranty should have unlying witness to the effect that he rightfully vouched it; or should bring forward an oath which he might believe who made the claim. So we have ordained the same respecting ownership; that he should adduce unlying witness thereof, or bring forward the oath, if he could, of persons unchosen, by which the claimant should be bound. But if he could not, then should be named to him six men of the same neighbourhood wherein he was resident, and of the six let him get one for one ox, or for that cattle which may be the worth of this, and afterward let it increase, according to the value of the property, if there ought to be more. Also we have ordained: if there were any evil-minded man who would put another's property in borh for wither-tihtle, that he should then declare on oath that he did not Afrom any knavery, but with full right, without fraud and guile," and that he then should there do as he durst with whom it is attached: "like as he it owned, so be it vouched to warranty."

Of him who denies justice to another.

2. Also we have ordained of what he were worthy who denied justice to another, either in boc-land or in folc-land, and that he should give him a term respecting the folc-land when he should do him justice before the reeve. But if he had no right either to the boc-land or to the folc-land, that he who denied the right should be liable in thirty shillings to the king; and for the second offense, the like: for the third offense, the king's oferhyrnes, that is, 120 shillings, unless he previously desist.

Of perjurers.

3. Also we have ordained concerning those men who were perjurers; if that were made evident, or an oath failed to them, or were out-proved, that they afterwards should not be oath-worthy, but ordeal-worthy.

Of frith.

4. King Edward exhorted his witan when they were at Exeter, that they should all search out how their frith might be better than it had previously been: for it seemed to him that it was more indifferently observed than it should be, what he had formerly commanded. He then asked them, who would apply to its amendment, and be in that fellowship that he was, and love that which he loved, and shun that which he shunned, both on sea and land? That is, then, that no man deny justice to another: if any one do so, let him make bot as it before is written; for the first offence, with thirty shillings; and for the second offense, the like; and for the third, with 120 shillings to the king.

Of the reeve who does not lawfully exact.

5. And if the reeve do not lawfully exact it, with the witness of those men who are assigned him to bear witness, then let him make bot of my oferhyrnes, with 120 shillings.

Of those accused of theft.

6. If any one be accused of theft, then let those take him in borh who before commended him to his lord, that he may justify himself thereof; or let other friends, if they have any, do the same. If he knows not who will take him in borh, then let those on whom it is incumbent take an in borh on his property. If he have neither property nor other borh, then let him be held to judgment.

Of those who will not seek their own.

7. Also I will that every man have constantly those men ready on his land, who may lead those men who desire to seek their own, and for no meed-monies prevent them, nor anywhere protect or harbour a convicted offender, willfully nor violently.

Of those who protect a convicted offender.

8. If any one disregard this, and break his oath and his wed, which all the nation has given, let him make bot as the doom-book may teach: but if he will not, let him forfeit the friendship of us all, and all that he has. If any one harbour him after that, let him make bot as the doom-book may say, and as he ought who harbours a fugutive, if it be here within. If it be within the east-country, let him make bot according as the frith-gewritu say.

Of him who forfeits his freedom.

9. If any one, through a charge of theft, forfeit his freedom, and deliver himself up, and his kindred forsake him, and he know not who shall make bot for him; let him then be worthy of the theow-work which thereto belongs, and let the wer abate for the kindred.

Of him who receives another man's man without leave.

10. Let no man receive another man's man without his leave whom he before followed, and until he be blameless towards every hand. If any one do so, let him make bot of my oferhyrnes.

Of gemot-terms.

11. I will that each reeve have a gemot always once in fourweeks; and so do that every man be worthy of folk-right: and that every suit have an end and a term when it shall be brought forward. If that any one disregard, let him make bot as we before ordained.

The Laws of Alfred, Guthrum, and Edward the Elder

The Laws of Alfred, Guthrum, and Edward the Elder

These are the dooms which King Alfred and King Guthrum chose. And this is the ordinance also which King Alfred and King Guthrum, and afterwards King Edward and King Guthrum, chose and ordained, when the English and Danes fully took to peace and to friendship; and the witan also, who were afterwards, oft and unseldom that same renewed and increased with good.

This is the first which they ordained: that they would love one God, and zealously renounce every kind of heathendom. And they established worldly rules also for these reasons, that they knew that else they might not many control, nor would many men else submit to divine bot as they should: and the worldly bot they established in common to Christ and the king, wheresoever a man would not lawfully submit to divine bot, by direction of the bishops.

1. And this then is the first which they ordained: that church-grith within the walls, and the king's hand-grith, stand equally inviolate.

2. If any one violate Christianity, or reverence heathenism, by word or by work, let him pay as well wer, as wite or lah-slit, according as the deed may be.

3. And if a man in orders steal, or fight, or forswear, or fornicate, let him make bot for it according as the deed may be, as well by wer, as by wite or by lah-slit; and, above all things, make bot before God as the canon teaches, and find borh thereof, or yield to prison. And if a mass-priest misdirect the people about a festival or about a fast, let him pay thirty shillings among the English, and among the Danes three half-marks. If a priest fetch not the chrism at the right term, or refuse baptism to him who has need thereof, let him pay wite among the English, and among the Danes lah-slit; that is, twelve ores.

Of incestuous persons.

4. And concerning incestuous persons, the witan have ordained that the king shall have the upper, and the bishop the nether, unless bot be made before God and before the world, according as the deed may be; so as the bishop may teach. If two brothers or near kinsmen commit fornication with the same woman, let them make bot very strictly, in such wise as it may be allowed, as well by wer, as by wite or by lah-slit, according as the deed may be. If a man in orders fordo himself with capital crime, let him be seized and held to the bishop's doom.

5. If a man guilty of death desire confession, let it never be denied him. And all God's dues let every one zealously further, by God's mercy, and by the wites which the witan have annexed thereto.

6. If any one withhold tithes, let him pay lah-slit among the Danes, wite among the English. If any one withhold Rom-feoh, let him pay lah-slit among the Danes, wite among the English. If any one discharge not light-scot, let him pay lah-slit among the Danes, wite among the English. If any one give not plough-alms, let him pay lah-slit among the Danes, wite among the English. If any one deny any divine dues, let him pay lah-slit among the Danes, wite among the English. As if he fight and wound any one, let him be liable in his wer. If he fell a man to death, let him then be an outlaw, and let every one of those seize him with hearm who desire right. And if he so do that any one kill him, for that he resisted God's law or the kings, if that be proved true, let him lie uncompensated.

Of workings on a festival-day.

7. If any one engage in Sunday marketing, let him forfeit the chattel, and twelve ores among the Danes, and thirty shillings among the English. If a freeman work on a festival-day, let him forfeit his freedom, or pay wite or lah-slit. Let a theow-man suffer in his hide or hide-gild. If a lord oblige his theow to work on a festival-day, let him pay lah-slit within the Danish law, and wite among the English.

Of feasts.

8. If a freeman break a lawful feast, let him pay wite or lahslit. If a theowman do so, let him suffer in his hide or hide-gild.