[274]. In Kent, Mercia and Wessex, the king’s wergyld was 120 pounds: half belonged to his family, half to his people.
[275]. “Levatus in regem: tó cyninge áhafen,” continued to be the words in use, long after the custom of really chairing the king had in all probability ceased to be observed.
[276]. The Merwingian kings continued to use this: perhaps not the Carolings. Among the Anglosaxons I find no trace of it.
[277]. This duty of riding through the land, called by Grimm the “landes bereisung” (Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer, p. 237), is probably alluded to by Beda in his account of Eádwine. Hist. Eccl. ii. 16.
[278]. θεμιτὸν γὰρ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι τῶν Φράγγων οὐπώποτε κείρεσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἀκειρεκόμαι τέ εἰσιν ἐκ παίδων ἀεὶ, καὶ παρηώρηνται αὐτοῖς ἅπαντες εὖ μάλα ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων οἱ πλόκαμοι ... τοῦτο δὲ ὅσπερ τι γνώρισμα καὶ γέρας ἐξαίρετον τῷ βασιλείῳ γένει ἀνεῖσθαι νεμόμισται. Agathias. bk. 1. 4.
[279]. “De victu ex regis praediis.” “Ðis is ðonne seó lihtingc ðe ic wylle eallon folce gebeorgan ðe hig ǽr ðyson midgedrehte wǽron ealles tó swýðe. Dæt is ðonne ǽrost. ðæt ic bebeóde eallum mínan geréfan ðæt hi on mínan ágenan rihtlíce tilian ⁊ me mid ðám feormian. ⁊ ðæt him nán man ne þearf tó feormfultume nán þingc syllan bútan he sylf wille. And gif hwá æfter ðám wíte crafige beó he his weres scyldig wið ðone cyningc.” Cnut, § lxx. Thorpe, i. 412, 413. “I command all my reeves that they justly provide [for me] out of my own property, and maintain me therewith; and that no man need give me anything as farm-aid (feormfultum) unless he himself be willing.” We here witness the natural progress of oppression.
[280]. “Mos est civitatibus, ultro ac viritim conferre principibus, vel armentorum, vel frugum, quod pro honore acceptum, etiam necessitatibus subvenit. Gaudent praecipue finitiniarum gentium donis, quae non modo a singulis, sed publice mittuntur: electi equi, magna arma, phalerae, torquesque. Iam et pecuniam accipere docuimus.” Germ. xv.
[281]. “In die autem Martis campo secundum antiquam consuetudinem dona illis regibus a populo offerebantur, et ipse rex sedebat in sella regia, circumstante exercitu, et maior domus coram eo.” an. 753. Annal. Laurishamenses Minores (Pertz, Monumenta, i. 116). See other instances in Grimm’s Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer, p. 245, etc.
[282]. Greg. Turon. ii. 27.
[283]. “Sed et levioribus delictis, pro modo poenarum, equorum pecorumque numero convicti multantur, pars multae regi vel civitati, pars ipsi qui vindicatur vel propinquis eius exsolvitur.” Germ. xii.