The court punished infanticide and
abortion. Counterfeiters of money, arsonists, and robbers of
pilgrims and merchants were to be excommunicated. Church sanctuary
was to be given to fugitives of violent feuds until they could be
given a fair trial.
- Judicial Procedure -
Courts extant now are the Royal Court, the King's Court of the
Exchequer, county courts, and hundred courts, which were under the
control of the King. His appointed justices administered justice
in these courts on regular circuits. The sheriff now only produced
the proper people and preserved order at the county courts and
presided over the nonroyal pleas and hundred courts. He empaneled
recognitors, made arrests, and enforced the decisions of the royal
courts. Also there are manor courts, borough courts, and
ecclesiastical courts. In the manor courts, the lord's reeve
generally presided. The court consisted of the lord's vassals and
declared the customs and law concerning such offenses as failure
to perform services and trespass on manorial woods, meadow, and
pasture.
The King's Royal Court heard issues concerning the Crown and
breaches of the King's peace, which included almost all criminal
matters. The most serious offenses: murder, robbery, rape,
abduction, arson, treason, and breach of fealty, were now called
felonies. Other offenses were: housebreaking, ambush, certain
kinds of theft, premeditated assault, and harboring outlaws or
excommunicants.
Pages:
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174