The clauses as to homicide.
Following the eighth-century MS. as most likely to be correct in its text, the excerpta relating to homicide are these:—
C. 1. Si quis homicidium ex intentione commiserit, ancillas III. et servos III. reddat et securitatem accipiat.
Canon 1. If any one by intention shall have committed homicide, let him pay three ancillæ and three servi and acquire safety.
C. 2. Si quis judicio fuerit competitus et præstando verum durus esse voluerit et ipsam intentionem fuerit interfectus, ancillas II. et servos II. reddi debere præcipimus. Quodsi manum aut pedem vel quemlibet membrum perdiderit similiter duas partes prætii se noverit accepturum.
Canon 2. If any one, being brought to justice, tries to resist the arrest and is slain in the attempt, we declare that two ancillæ and two servi shall be given for him, but if he loses a hand or a foot or any limb let him likewise know that he shall accept two thirds of the price.
C. 3. Si quis homicidii causa fuerit suspicatus et non ei titulus comprobandi, XL. et VIII. viris nominatis, ex quibus XXIV. in ecclesia jurent eum esse veracem, sic sine causa discedat. Quodsi non juraverit, ancillas III. et servos III. reddat et securitatem accipiat.
Canon 3. If any one shall be suspected of homicide, but there are not means of proof (‘titulus comprobandi’), 48 men having been named, of whom 24 shall swear in a church that he is right (‘verax’), so he shall depart innocent (‘sine causa’); but if he [they?] shall not have sworn he shall pay three ancillæ and three servi and be free.
C. 4. Si servus ingenuum occiderit et culpa ingenui fuerit hoc, de fuste aut dextrali aut dubio aut de cultello fuerit interemptus, ipse homicida parentibus tradatur, et quidquid faciendi voluerint habeant potestatem.
Canon 4. If a slave shall kill a freeman and it shall be the fault of the freeman, and he shall have been slain by a cudgel, or a hatchet, or a … or a knife, the homicide himself shall be handed over to the parentes and they shall have power to do what they like with him.