[114] Berck, pp. 259, 260.
[115] See Berck, l. i. c. 5, 6, 7.
[116] Spelt also Fem, Fäm, Vem, Vehm. In German f and v are pronounced alike, as also are ä and e. The words from which Fahm has been derived are Fahne, a standard; Femen, to skin; Fehde, feud; Vemi (i. e. væ mihi), wo is me; Ve or Vaem, which Dreyer says signifies, in the northern languages, holy; Vitte (old German), prudence; Vette, punishment; the Fimmiha of the Salic law; Swedish Fem, Islandic Fimm, five, such being erroneously supposed to be the number of judges in a Fehm, or court. Finally, Mözer deduces it from Fahm, which he says is employed in Austria and some other countries for Rahm, cream.
[117] Common fame was a sufficient ground of arraignment in England, also, in the Anglo-Saxon period.
[118] In the northern languages, Ting; hence the Store Ting (in our journals usually written Storthing), i. e. Great Ting, or Parliament of Norway.
[119] Stuhlherr is tribunal-lord, or, literally, lord of the seat (of judgment); stuhl (Anglice, stool) being a seat, or chair.
[120] This word, which cannot be adequately translated, is the low-Latin Scabini, the French Echevins. We shall take the liberty of using it throughout. The schöppen were called frei-(free) schöppen, as the count was called frei-graf, the court frei-stuhl, on account of the jurisdiction of the tribunals being confined to freemen.
[121] Frohnbote is interpreted a Holy Messenger, or a Servant of God.
[122] When a person was admitted into the society he paid, besides the fee to the count already mentioned, to each schöppe who was assisting there, and to each frohnbote, four livres Tournois.
[123] The natives of Prussia were still heathens at that time.