Anglo-Saxon Law Enforcement

Question 1

tithings

Answer 1

shires split into hundreds, each hundred divided into 10 tithings.
if one man accused of crime, other made sure he went to court / would pay fine for him.

Question 2

shire reeve

Answer 2

local man appointed by community to take criminals to courts and make sure any punishment was carried out.

Question 3

hue and cry

Answer 3

victim / witness raised a hue and cry by alerting others, anyone who heard expected to cause and help catch suspected criminal.

Question 4

courts

Answer 4

if suspect didn’t admit to crime / not caught in act their guilt / innocence determined by courts:

-Royal courts = serious crimes
-Shire courts = lesser crimes
-Hundred courts = petty crimes

Court hearings took place in public.

Question 5

oaths

Answer 5

-swearing ‘before God’.
-accused could swear their innocence under oath & others could support them as ‘oath helpers’

Question 6

church deciding guilt / innocence

Answer 6

if jury couldn’t decide, accused handed over to church so god could decide by trial by ordeal