frankpledge

frankpledge. Hist. A promise given to the sovereign by a group of ten freeholders (a tithing) ensuring the group’s good conduct. • The frankpledge was of Saxon origin, but continued after the Norman Conquest. The members of the group were not liable for an injury caused by an offending member, but they did act as bail to ensure that the culprit would appear in court. They were bound to produce a wrongdoer for trial.

— Also termed borrow; laughe. See VIEW OF FRANKPLEDGE. Cf. DECENARY.

“Since there was no elaborate group of royal officials, the policing of the country had to be arranged for in a special way. The commonest way was to hold each household responsible for the offenses of any member of it. A further step was taken when, in the time of Cnut, a group of ten men was formed who were responsible for each other, in the sense that every one was security, borh, for the good behavior of the others. This group was called fri-borh, frankpledge, and remained for a long time one of the chief police methods of England.” Max Radin, Handbook of Anglo-American Legal History 33–34 (1936).

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