Frankpledge facts for kids

Frankpledge was an old system in England during the Middle Ages. It was a way for people to work together to keep the peace and make sure everyone followed the law. Imagine a group of friends or neighbors who were all responsible for each other's actions!

The main idea was that groups of people, usually ten men, were linked together. This group was called a tithing. If someone in the tithing was suspected of a crime, the whole group had to make sure he showed up in court. If he didn't appear, the entire group could be fined. This made everyone in the group want to keep an eye on each other and encourage good behavior.

Most men over 12 years old were part of this system. However, women, church leaders, and very rich freemen were usually not included.

How Frankpledge Started

The first clear mention of frankpledge was around 1114–1118, in a document called the Leges Henrici Primi. However, some people in the 12th century, like William of Malmesbury, thought it was much older, even going back to the time of Canute the Great, a Viking king of England.

Some historians believe that an older Anglo-Saxon system called frith-borh (which means "peace-pledge") was a lot like frankpledge. Others think that frankpledge was a new, stricter system that came after the Normans took over England. They believe that William the Conqueror made frankpledge a common and required system to help the Normans control the country better and make sure everyone followed their rules.

Anglo-Saxon Beginnings

Before frankpledge, there was a system called borh. In this system, individuals – like a family member, a master for his servants, or a lord for his people – were responsible for making sure others appeared in court if they did something wrong.

Around the same time, Anglo-Saxon society also started sharing legal responsibility in groups of ten. These groups were called a teothung or tything. It was like a small "assembly of ten men."

Each tything had a leader called a tythingman. This leader's job was to make sure any man from their group who was called to court actually showed up. At first, these tythings were voluntary groups. People joined because they agreed to help each other.

However, only people who owned land could really be forced to pay fines if their group got into trouble. People without land were harder to control. So, landless men often had to join a manorial lord's group. The lord then became responsible for their behavior.

Over time, the tithing became a specific area, often part of a village. When the older borh system and the tithing system combined, it formed the Norman frankpledge system.

In its final form, if someone didn't show up for court, the other members of the tithing could swear an oath that they didn't help the person escape. If they couldn't do this, or if they were found to be involved, they would be held responsible for the runaway's actions and might have to pay his fines. This check of the tithing members in court was known as the "view of frankpledge."

Where Frankpledge Was Used

Frankpledge wasn't used everywhere in England at first. It didn't happen in Wales or in some northern and border counties. But it was very common in the area known as the Danelaw (where Vikings had settled) and in the south and southwest of England. Eventually, by the time of King Edward I, the sheriff's checks (called a tourn) started appearing in places like Northumberland and Cumberland too.

The sheriff would hold a "view of frankpledge" twice a year. During this, people would pay a small fee called a "tithing penny." The sheriff could also collect other money through fines. Because of these profits, it was a special privilege for lords or towns to take over the "view of frankpledge" themselves, instead of the sheriff doing it. On the other hand, the Magna Carta in 1217 tried to limit how much money the sheriff could demand from frankpledge.

Later Changes to Frankpledge

The frankpledge system started to become less common in the 1300s. The king's government became more powerful and took over more control. Also, more and more private landlords started managing the "view of frankpledge" themselves. This weakened the local system.

Changes in farming and people moving around more, especially after the Black Death (a terrible plague), also made the system harder to manage.

Even though it declined, frankpledge lasted in some places into the 1400s. However, it was slowly replaced by local constables (who were often the former chief pledges) working under justices of the peace. These new officials continued some of the ideas of the "view of frankpledge."

Interestingly, the basic idea behind frankpledge still exists in England and Wales when it comes to riots. For a long time, people in a civil parish were directly responsible for paying for any damage caused by a riot in their area. Now, under laws like the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 and its replacement in 2016, the cost of riot damages is paid indirectly by local people through their local taxes, which helps fund the police.

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