He
swore by this fealty oath: "By the Lord, before whom this relic is
holy, I will be to ------ faithful and true, and love all that he
loves, and shun all that he shuns, according to God's law, and
according to the world's principle, and never, by will nor by
force, by word nor by work, do ought of what is loathful to him;
on condition that he keep me as I am willing to deserve, and all
that fulfill that our agreement was, when I to him submitted and
chose his will." If a man was homeless or lordless, his brothers
were expected to find him such, e.g. in the folkmote. Otherwise,
he as to be treated as a fugitive, and could be slain as for a
thief, and anyone who had harbored him would pay a penalty.
Brothers were also expected to protect their minor kinsmen.
Marriages were determined by men asking women to marry them. If a
woman said yes, he paid a sum to her kin for her "mund"
[jurisdiction or protection over her] and gave his oath to them to
maintain and support the woman and any children born. As security
for this oath, he gave a valuable object or "wed". The couple were
then betrothed. Marriage ceremonies were performed by priests in
churches. The groom had to bring friends to his wedding as
sureties to guarantee his oath to maintain and support his wife
and children. Those who swore to take care of the children were
called their "godfathers". The marriage was written into church
records.
Pages:
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89