Lesson 4 C1000-1500 Flashcards
to understand influence of the church
What were Church courts and why were they used?
Throughout the 13th century Church courts were used to try people accused of moral crimes such a sex outside of marriage and not following church rites
(Medieval England) What was the benefit of the clergy ?
Church courts tried members of the clergy for all crimes. This was known as benefit of the clergy.
How did people prove their right to benefit of the clergy?
- reading a passage from Bible (Psalm 51) Priests were some of the people of society who could read.
Many laymen memorised the passage so they could recite it in court and claim benefit of clergy
How were members of clergy tried under the benefit of the clergy?? (not available to women)
- Punishments given by church courts were more lenient to them rather than other courts. Church wanted to give people the chance to reform.
-significance = illustrates inequality in medieval England’s justice system
What were sanctuary’s and what were they used for?
- Protection from law - offered by important churches only
A person could claim sanctuary by going to one of these churches
The priest would report the crime but no one was allowed to arrest the accused
The accused would swear an oath to leave the country or agree to go to court
If the accused had not left the country in 40 days, they could be outlawed
Why was the sanctuary and benefit of the clergy significant?
Showed how church operated an alternate justice system
What is trial by ordeal and when was it first used?
- First used in Anglo- Saxon time and used at the beginning of 13th century.
In cases when someone’s guilt or innocence could not be decided by court, the church used trial by ordeal.
Methods of trial by ordeal and its purpose
- Outcome of all these trials Gods judgment of guilt or innocence of accused.
- Trial by hot water or iron
- trial by water
- Trial by consecrated bread ( for priests )
When did trial by ordeal end?
- in 1215 when ordered by the pope to stop it
