the later middle ages (1250-1500)

Question 1

felonies

Answer 1

major crimes (counterfeiting, arson, treason, theft over 12d, etc.)

Question 2

petty crime

Answer 2

adultery, theft under 12d, poor language, land disputes, etc.

Question 3

ways to evade death:

Answer 3

• pregnancy
• joining the army (if a war was on)
• buying a pardon
• claiming benefit of the clergy
• seek sanctuary

Question 4

seek sanctuary =

Answer 4

hiding in a church for 40 days and confess your sins to a priest; following the confession you had to leave england forever (exile).

Question 5

claim benefit of the clergy =

Answer 5

as churchmen/priest, criminals could not be punished in the king’s courts. to prove you were a churchman they read out psalm 5, verse 1 (the neck-verse).
- learnt by even illiterate criminals.

Question 6

factors that affected crime:

Answer 6

• 1348 black death
• famine
• successive failed harvests