[Rolls Series ]

Alfred, was great in peace and war, he organised his government and drew up a code of laws below are a intresting selection.

I , then, Alfred, king, gathered these dooms together, and commanded many of those to be written which our forefathers held, those which to me seemed good; and many of those which seemed to me not good I rejected, by the counsel of my "witan," and in otherwise commanded them to be holden ; for I durst not venture to set down in writing much of my own, for it was unknown to me what of it would please those who should come after us. But those things which I met with, either of the days of Ine my kinsman, or of Offa king of the Mercians, or of Aethelbryht, who first among the English race received baptism, those which seemed to me the rightest, those I have here gathered together, and rejected the others.
I, then, Alfred, king of the West Saxons, showed these all to my "witan," and they then said that it seemed good to them all to be holden.

4. If any one plot against the king's life, of himself, or by harbouring of exiles, or of his men; let him be liable in his life and in all that he has. If he desire to prove himself true, let him do so according to the king's "wer-gild." So also we ordain for all degrees, whether ceorl or eorl He who plots against his lord's life, let him be liable in his life to him and in all that he has; or let him prove himself true according to his lord's " wer."

27. If a man kinless of paternal relatives, fight, and slay a man, and then if he have maternal relatives, let them pay a third of the "wer" ; his guild-brethren a third part; for a third let him flee. If he have no maternal relatives, let his guild-brethren pay half, for half let him flee.

28. If a man kill a man thus circumstanced, if he have no relatives, let half be paid to the king; half to his guild-brethren.

29. If any one with a "hloth," [company] slay an unoffending "twy-hynde" man, let him who acknowledges the death-blow pay "wer" and "wite" ; and let every man who was of the party pay XXX shillings as "hloth-bot."

30. If it be a Six-" hynde " man, let every man pay LX shillings as hloth-bot; and the slayer "wer" and full " wite."

31. If he be a twelve- " hynde" man, let each of them pay one hundred and twenty shillings ; and the slayer, " wer " and "wite." If a hloth do this and afterwards will deny it on oath, let them all be accused, and let them all pay the " wer " in common; and all, one " wite" such as shall belong to the "wer."

40. The king's "burh-bryce" shall be cxx shillings. An archbishop's, ninety shillings. Any other bishop's, and an "ealdorman's " LX shillings. A twelve- " hynde" man's, xxx shillings. A six-hynde man's, xv shillings. A ceorl's "edor-bryce," v shillings. If aught of this happen when the fyrd is out, or in Lent fast, let the bot be twofold. If any one in Lent put down holy law among the people without leave, let him make " bot " with cxx shillings.

42. We also command: that the man who knows his foe to be home-sitting fight not before he demand justice of him. If he have such power as he can beset his foe, and besiege him within, let him keep him within for vii days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And then after vii days, if he will surrender, and deliver up his weapons, let him be kept safe for xxx days, and let notice of him be given to his kinsmen and friends. If, however, he flee to a church, then let it be according to the sanctity of the church; as we have before said above. But if he have not sufficient power to besiege him within, let him ride to the ealdorman, and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him ride to the king before he fights. In like manner also, if a man come upon his foe, and lie did not before know him to be home-staying; if he be willing to deliver up his weapons, let him be kept for xxx days, and let notice of him be given to his friends; if he will not deliver up his weapons then he may attack him, If he be willing to surrender, and to deliver up his weapons, and any one after that attack him, let him pay as well "wer" as wound, as he may do, and "wite," and let him have forfeited his "maeg"-ship. We also declare, that for his lord a man may fight "orwige" if any one attack the lord: thus may the lord fight for his man. After the same wise, a man may fight for his born kinsman, if a man attack hint wrongfully, except against his lord; that we do not allow. And a man may fight "orwige," if he find another with his lawful wife, within closed doors, or under one covering, or with his lawfully born daughter, or with his lawfully born sister, or with his mother, who was given to his father as his lawful wife.

4.Wer-gild; the compensation payable to the kin of a man slain, the amount of which was fixed according to a regular scale. Distinguished from the wite, the fine payable to the state for breaking the law
29. Hloth ; company, gang, band. Bot compensation. Wite, see Wer-gild. Twy-hynde man; a ceorl whose wergild was 200 shillings.
30.Six-hynde man; one whose wergild was 600 shillings.
40.Burgh-bryce; penalty for breaking into a man's dwelling. Edor-bryce; the same, but applying to the house of a person of lower rank. Fyrd, the military levy of the shire.
42.Maegship; membership of a kindred. Orwige: without creating a personal or family feud.