[****] The method appointed for
transacting this composition is found in the same law.[*****]
These attempts of Edmond, to contract and diminish the feuds, were
contrary to the ancient spirit of the northern barbarians, and were a
step towards a more regular administration of justice. By the salic law,
any man-night, by a public declaration, exempt himself from his family
quarrels: but then he was considered by the law as no longer belonging
to the family; and he was deprived of all right of succession, as the
punishment of his cowardice.[******]
The price of the king's head, or his weregild, as it was then called,
was by law thirty thousand thrimsas, near thirteen hundred pounds of
present money. The price of the prince's head was fifteen thousand
thrimsas; that of a bishop's or alderman's, eight thousand; a sheriff's,
four thousand; a thane's or clergyman's, two thousand; a ceorle's,
two hundred and sixty-six. These prices were fixed by the laws of the
Angles. By the Mercian law, the price of a ceorle's head was two hundred
shillings; that of a thane's, six times as much; that of a king's, six
times more.[*******] By the laws of Kent, the price of the archbishop's
head was higher than that of the king's.
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