Crime and Punishment-Medieval Crime,Laws, Trials, Punishment(1450)

Question 1

In medieval times, who made laws and how did this influence the laws?

Answer 1

• People with power and wealth.e.g. Landowners, monarchs (kings)
• Crimes that threatened their power and wealth were perceived to be serious

Question 2

What were the crimes, how common, how serious and what were the punishment (11 man squad)?

Answer 2

1) Stealing small amounts of money, goods or food-very common- not serious-fine, stocks or pillory
2) Selling goods at the wrong prices-very common-not serious-fine
3) Selling poor quality goods-very common-not serious- Fine, stocks or pillory
4) Assault-rare-fairly serious-stocks or pillory, whipping
5) Blasphemy-quite common-fairly serious-branding
6) Theft of money or goods worth two day’s wages or more-very common-very serious-hanging
7) Rape-rare-very serious-hanging
8) Murder-rare-very serious-hanging
9) Arson-rare-very serious-hanging
10) Heresy-rare-very serious- burning at stake
11) Treason-very rare-extremely serious- hanging, drawing and quartering

Question 3

How did the Justice system operate?

Answer 3

• Majority of people lived in small villages with a manor court that met regularly
• 1450* Jury of twelve freemen decided if someone was guilty
• People accused of extreme crimes were sent from manor courts to the royal courts that used trial by jury and could sentence people to the death penalty.
• Church courts dealt with priests, monks and nuns accused of crimes or ordinary people who had broken Church rules/ moral crimes such as adultery or not paying their tithes

Question 4

How were criminals caught in medieval times?

Answer 4

• No police force present
• Community responsible for finding criminals through tithings (group of ten freemen), except clergy and knights who were responsible for each other
• In cases where one of these men were accused, the rest brought that person to justice or paid a fine to the victim
• 1200-Hue and cry began*

If crime committed, any bystanders were expected to shout and chase the criminal shouting “Hue and Cry”

-Constables and watchmen

Question 5

What was the trend in punishment?

Answer 5

The more serious the crime, the more horrible the punishment resulting in things such as the death penalty

Question 6

What were the attitudes to medieval punishment?

Answer 6

People felt the law system was unjust and therefore, needed a change.

The laws, according to many, were adapted to suit the rich and affect the working class.