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

De legibus legumque vocabulis. Capitulum quinquagesimum.

DUNWALLO, þat hete Moluntius [Moliuncius, Cx., and so below.] also, made þe [þe] om. α., Cx.] firste lawes in Bretayne, the whiche lawes were i-cleped Moluntius his lawes,

and were solempne [were solompnly (sic) obserued vnto, Cx.] anon to William Conquerour his tyme. Moluntius ordeynede among his lawes, þat citees, temples, and weies þat ledeþ þerto, and plowh men solowes schulde haue priuelege and fredom forto saue alle men þat wolde flee þerto for socour and refute. [refuge, Cx.] Þan aftirward Marcia, queene of Bretouns, þat was Guytelynus þe kynges wyf, of hire þe prouince hadde þe name Mercia, as som men troweþ. Sche [He, α.] made a lawe ful of riȝt and [and] om. α. and Cx.] of wit and resoun, and was i-cleped Merchene lawe. Gildas, þat wroot stories of Bretouns, turnede þese tweie lawes out of Bretoun speche in to Latyn, and afterward kyng Alredes [Aluredus, α. and Cx.] turned alle in fere [in fere] om. Cx., and also below.] out of Latyn in to Saxon speche, and [and]. Here and above the sense requires þat.] was i-cleped alle in fere Merchene lawe. Also the same kyng Alredus wroot in Englische, and putte to anoþer lawe, þat heet West Sexene lawe. Þanne afterward Danes were lordes in þis lond, and so com [cam, Cx.] forþ the þridde lawe þat heet Dane lawe. Of þese þre lawes Seynt Edward þe þridde [the confessour, Cx.] made oon comyn lawe, þat ȝit hatte [So α.; hadde, MS.] Seint Edwardes lawe. I [I] Iche, α.] holde hit be worthy [it wel don, Cx.] [Aluredus, α. and Cx.]

to write here and expowne meny termes of þese lawes. Mundbreche, [Myndebruche, Cx.] hertynge of honour and of worschepe; [of worschippe and of honour, α.] a [in, Cx., everywhere.] Frensche, blesmure [bleschur, Cx., and so below.] de honoure. Burghbreche; [Burchbruch, Cx.] a Frensche, blesmure de court, ou de cloys. Grythbruche, [brekynge] [brekynge] Added from α. and Cx.] of pees. Miskenynge, chaunginge of speche in court. Schewynge, settynge forþ of marchaundise; a Frensche, despleure [displeix, Cx.] de marchaundise. Hamsokene oþer Hamfare, a rese i-made in hous. Forstallynge, wrong oþer let i-doo in þe kynges hiȝe weie. Fryth sokene; in Frensche, suerte [surte, α.] in diffens. Infantif [Infangthef, α.; which is the more usual form. Cx. has some omissions here, and further on.] pelfynde inward; a Frensche, dedeyns le soen atachement de laroun. [laroun eschape, MS. (not α.)] Sake; [a Frensche, court justice forfet ou achesoun. Soka], [Added from α.] sute of court, and þerof comeþ Sokene, [Sokne, α.] but Sokene oþerwhile is forto aske lawe in þe gretter court. Wergiltif, [Wergelthef, α.] solte de laroun [laron, α.] eschape. Theam, Frensche, reuoche garant; and somtyme Theam is i-cleped þe sewte of bonde men. Fightynge wyte, amersement for fightynge, ferir melle. Wardwhite, forfise de garde. Blodwyte, mersement for schedynge of blood. Cultwyte, [Gultwite, Cx.] amendes for

trespas. Scot, a gaderynge in work of baylifes. Flittwyte, amendes i-doo for chydynge. Leyrewite, [So α.; Leyrwe, MS.] amendes for lig|gynge by a bond womman. Hydage, taylage of hydes of lond. Danegeld, [So α.; Danagild, MS.; Dane|gheld, Cx.] taylage i-ȝeue to þe Danes, þat was þre pans of eueriche [euericha, MS.] bouata terræ, þat is, of eueriche oxeland. A wepentake and an hondred is al oon, for þe contray of an hondred townes were i-woned to ȝilde vppe wepene [towneswepene, MS.] in þe comynge of þe lord. Lastage, [Lestage, α., Cx.] custom i-chalanged in chepynges and in feyres. Stalage, custom for stondynge in stretes in feyre tyme.