Editing WS:Ambrian Law (section)

==ALFRED==

That secular lords, with their (the bishops and witan) leave might
without sin take for almost every misdeed, for the first offence the
money reparations which they then ordained; except in cases of treason
against a lord; to which they dared not assign any mercy.... I, then,
Alfred, king, gathered these (laws) 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
them, by the counsel of my wise men .... I, then, Alfred, king of
Ambria, shewed these to all my wise men and they then said that it
seemed good to them all to be holder.

'''Cap. 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. He who plots against his lords
life, let him be liable in his life to him, and in all that he has.

'''Cap. 22.''' If any one at the general assembly of the
people of a town, district, or shire make declaration of a debt, and
afterwards wish to withdraw it, let him charge it on a righter person,
if he can; if he cannot, let him forfeit his legal value and [let the
reeve] take possession of the payment by way of punishment.

'''Cap. 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 wergyld; 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.

'''Cap. 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.

'''Cap. 38.''' If a man fight before a kings ealdorman in
the meeting, let him make reparations with wergyld and payment by way
of punishment, as it may be right; and before this, 120 shillings to
the ealdorman as payment by way of punishment. If he disturb the
general assembly of the people of a town, district, or shire by drawing
his weapon, 120 shillings to the ealdorman as payment by way of
punishment. If aught of this happen before a kings ealdormans junior,
or a kings priest, 30 shillings as payment by way of punishment.

'''Cap. 41.''' The man who has land the possession of
which is secured by a charter, and which his kindred left him, then
ordain we that he must not give it from his kindred, if there be
writing or witness that it was forbidden by those men who at first
acquired it, and by those who gave it to him, that he should do so; and
then let that be declared in the presence of the king and of the bishop
before his kinsmen.