Jerusalem was thought
to be at the center of the world. There was an annual tax of a
penny on every hearth, Peter's pence, to be collected and sent to
the pope in Rome. Ecclesiastical benefices were to pay church-
scot, a payment in lieu of first fruits of the land, to the pope.
- The Law -
The king and witan deliberated on the making of new laws, both
secular and spiritual, at the regularly held witanagemot. There
was a standard legal requirement of holding every man accountable,
though expressed in different ways, such as the following three:
Every freeman who does not hold land must find a lord to answer
for him. The act of homage was symbolized by holding his hands
together between those of his lord. Every lord shall be personally
responsible as surety for the men of his household. [This included
female lords.] (King Athelstan)
"And every man shall see that he has a surety, and this surety
shall bring and keep him to [the performance of] every lawful
duty.
1. And if anyone does wrong and escapes, his surety shall incur
what the other should have incurred.
2. If the case be that of a thief and his surety can lay hold of
him within twelve months, he shall deliver him up to justice,
and what he has paid shall be returned to him." (King Edgar)
Every freeman who holds land, except lords with considerable
landed property, must be in a local tithing, usually ten to twelve
men, in which they serve as personal sureties for each other's
peaceful behavior.
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