Hue and cry Facts for Kids

Imagine you see someone committing a crime, like stealing something. In olden times, especially in England, there was a special way to get everyone nearby to help catch the criminal. This was called a hue and cry. It was basically a loud shout or alarm that told everyone to stop what they were doing and help chase after the person who broke the law.

What Was the Hue and Cry?
How Did the Hue and Cry Start?
Where Did the Name Come From?
See also

What Was the Hue and Cry?

The hue and cry was a very old way for communities to deal with crime. If someone saw a crime happening, they had to shout loudly to warn everyone. This shout was the "hue and cry."

When people heard the hue and cry, they were expected to join the chase. It was like an emergency call for help, but without phones! Everyone who could help was supposed to join in. They would chase the person who committed the crime from one town to the next, until they were caught.

How Did the Hue and Cry Start?

Laws from Long Ago

The idea of the hue and cry became an official law in England way back in 1285. This was part of a law called the Statute of Winchester. This law said that if you saw a crime, you had to raise a hue and cry.

It also said that the chase had to continue from one town to another. The goal was to catch the person who broke the law and bring them to the local law officer, like a sheriff.

Everyone Had to Help

All strong, healthy men in the area were required to help. If they heard the shouts, they had to join the chase. This was similar to a "posse comitatus", which means a group of people called to help the sheriff.

Community Responsibility

The law also had a strict rule: if a theft or robbery happened, the whole local area, called a "hundred", could be held responsible. This meant if the criminal wasn't caught, the community might have to pay for the stolen goods. This was a form of collective punishment, where a whole group is punished for one person's actions.

It was also a serious offense to raise a false hue and cry. If you falsely accused someone or made up a crime, you could get into trouble yourself.

Hue and Cry Today

Even today, the idea of the hue and cry is remembered. For example, in Tennessee, USA, the official oath for a constable (a type of police officer) still mentions that it's their duty to sound the hue and cry. This shows how important this old tradition was.

Where Did the Name Come From?

The words "hue" and "cry" both come from very old French words.

"Hue" comes from the Old French word huer, which means "to shout".
"Cry" comes from the Old French word crier, which means "to cry" or "to shout".

So, "hue and cry" basically means "shout and shout". It's a bit like saying "loud and clear" – two words that mean almost the same thing, used together for emphasis. Some people think it might have come from a Latin phrase hutesium et clamor, meaning "a horn and shouting".

Hue and cry facts for kids

Contents