Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Of lawes and the wordes of lawes. Capitulum quinquagesimum.

Dunwallo Molimicius ordeynede firste lawes in Briteyne, the lawes of whom were callede Molimitine, obseruede and

kepede welle vn to the tyme of William Conquerour. Amonge whom he made a statute that cites, temples of goddes, weies ledenge to theyme, and the ploes of tillers of londe, scholde ioy imunite of confute. After that Marcia, qwene of Britones, wife to kynge Gvitelyne, of whom the prouince of the marches be trawede to have taken theire name, made a law full of ryȝhtenousenes and of descrecion, whiche was callede the lawe of the Marches. Gildas, the writer of storyes, did translate those ij. lawes from the langage of Britones in to Latyne. And kynge Alurede [folio 68b] did translate hit from Latyn in to the speche of Saxones, whiche lawe was callede Merchenelaga. Also kynge Alurede caste to that lawe writen in Englische whiche was callede Weste Saxon lawe. Then after that, the Danes reignenge in that londe, the thridde lawe began, whiche was callede Danelaga. Kynge Edwarde the thridde made oon commune lawe of those three lawes, whiche be callede vn to this tyme presente the lawes of Seynte Ed|warde,

mony wordes of whiche lawe nede an exposicion, as Mundebriche, hurte of maieste, in Frenche, Blesmur de honour; Burbriche, a hurte of liberte, in Frenche, Blesmur de court, ou de clos; Grithbriche, a brekenge of peace; Muskenning, diuersite other chaungenge of speche in courte; Scheauwynge, sette furthe of marchandise, in Frenche, displevir de marchandise; Hamsokne or Hamfare, þat is, a fray made in an howse; Forstallynge, constreynenge made in the kynges strete. Frith sokne, suerte in a iurisdiccion, in Frenche, surte en defence. Infanthef pelfynde inwarde, that is to say, to take a gilty man within his lordeschippe, in Frenche, dedeins le soen atachemente de laron. Saca, a iurisdiccion, in Frenche, court iustice. Soka, a sute of the courte, where of Sokne is seyde. But Sokne is seide other while an interpellacion of a moore grete audience. Werk|elthef, that is to say, solte de laron eschamp. Thean, that is, to lawde the auctor, in Frenche, reuouche graunte; whiche is callede otherwhile a sequele of natife men. Blodewitte, a merciamente for effusion of bloode. Hittewite, amendes

commenge for stryvenge. Leirwite, that is to say, amendes commenge for the corrupcion of a woman natife. Gulte|wite, an amendes for a transgression. Scot, that is the pay|mente of a certeyne money to the vtilite of the lorde. Hidage other talage, that is to say, tallage of the hides of the londe. Danegelde, a tallage ȝiffen to the Danes of iij^d. Wapentake and hundrede be the same as the precincte of an c. townes, whiche were wonte to yelde there weppens in the firste commenge of theire lorde. Lestage, that is a thynge required in feires. Stallage, an exaccion for stond|enge in the hie weies in tyme of feires.