Alfred and the Danes
4. Alfred and Guthrum’s Peace. (Anglo-Saxon text in Liebermann: Die Gesetze der Angelsachsen. Translation from Stubbs’s Select Charters, with one change suggested by Liebermann’s German 5translation.)
This is the peace that King Alfred and King Guthrum, and the witan of all the English nation, and all the people that are in East Anglia, have all ordained and with oaths confirmed, for themselves 10and for their descendants, as well for born as for unborn, who reck of God’s mercy or of ours.
1. Concerning our land boundaries: Up on the Thames, and then up on the Lea, and along the Lea unto its source, then straight to Bedford, then up on 15the Ouse unto Watling Street.
2. Then is this: If a man be slain, we estimate all equally dear, English and Danish, at viii half marks of pure gold; except the ceorl who resides on rented land and their [the Danes’] freedmen; they 20also are equally dear, either at cc. shillings.
3. And if a king’s thegn be accused of man-slaying, if he dare to clear himself on oath, let him do that with xii king’s thegns. If any one accuse that man who is of less degree than the king’s thegn, 25let him clear himself with xi of his equals and with one king’s thegn. And so in every suit which may be more than iv mancuses.[1] And if he dare not, let him pay for it threefold, as it may be valued.
- ↑ A money of account of this time representing thirty pence.
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