The Crimes
The most common crime in Medieval England.
What is theft?
A past time commonly involving cards and money which the church believed was sinful.
What is gambling?
A place in which the most serious criminal cases were heard.
Arguably the most essential in upholding law and order. They were grouped together into 'tens' and 'tithings'.
The ruler of the country, appointed by God.
Who is the King?
The label of a crime in which less than 12d is stolen or limited harm is done to a person or property.
What is a petty crime?
Groups of criminals who ambushed travellers, robbed houses and had numerous bases in the forests.
What were outlaw gangs?
People drawn from a criminal's own area to hear a trial and decide whether they were guilty.
What are jurors?
A voluntary one-year appointment with a responsibility for ensuring the Parish could supply armed men when required.
Who is the Parish Constable?
The religion of Medieval England.
What is Catholicism?
An act which the church labelled as a homicide.
What is suicide?
A new crime which emerged after the black death and was made a crime by parliament in 1351.
What is vagrancy?
A place in which offences by villeins were judged by the local lord.
What are manor courts?
Often wealthy farmers, two were appointed each year, with the responsibility of ensuring every free man was equipped and ready to take up arms.
Who is the Chief Constable of the Hundred?
Another word for peasant with modern links to criminals.
Who are villeins?
A resource in which price fluctuations influenced crime rates.
What is wheat?
Private armies of armed servants held by rich landowners to fight off rival lords and win more land.
Who are retainers?
Appointed by the King, they took over sheriff's duties in 1361 and oversaw local court cases with a jury of locals.
Who are justices of the peace?
The King's agent in each county. They were in charge of the county court and often took portions of land or property which was taken from convicted murderers.
Who is the sheriff?
Smaller areas of land which divided England through local government.
What are hundreds?
A crime in which only women were accused.
What is scolding?
A serious crime against the country, king or government such as a wife murdering her husband, counterfeiting coins or plotting regicide.
What is treason?
When the Justices of the peace oversaw local cases. Named this way due to this only occurring four times a year.
What are quarter sessions?
A warning signal initiated by the victim of a crime, calling all within earshot to stop what they are doing and hunt for the criminal.
What is hue and cry?
Church leadership consisting of bishops, priests, monks and nuns.
Who are the Clergy?