Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/443

The People in Country and Town 407 one paid twenty shillings who shed blood in the twelve days after Christmas, on the day of the Purification of the Blessed Mary, on the first day after Easter, the first day of Pentecost, Ascension day, on the Assumption or Nativity of the Blessed Mary, and on the day of All Saints. He who killed a man on these holy days compounded for it with four pounds ; but on other days, with forty shil- lings. Similarly he who committed burglary or assault on those feast days or on Sunday, four pounds ; on other days, forty shillings. Any one setting prisoners free in the city gave ten shil- lings. But if the reeve of the king or of the earl committed this offense, he compounded for it with twenty shillings. He who committed theft or robbery, or exercised violence upon a woman in a house, compounded for each of these with forty shillings. He who in the city seized upon the land of another and was not able to prove it to be his was fined forty shillings. Similarly also he who made claim upon it, if he was not able to prove it to be his. He who did not pay the tax at the period at which he owed it compounded for it with ten shillings. If fire burned the city, he from whose house it started compounded for it with three oras of pennies, and gave to his next neighbor two shillings. Of all these forfeitures, two parts belonged to the king and the third to the earl. A man or a woman making false measure in the city, and being arrested, compounded for it with four shillings. Similarly a person making bad ale was either placed in the ducking stool or gave four shillings to the reeve. This for- feiture the officer of the king and of the earl received in the city, in whosesoever land it has been done, either of the bishop or of another man. Similarly also, if any one held the toll back beyond three nights, he compounded for it with forty shillings. In the time of King Edward there were in this city seven moneyers, who gave seven pounds to the king and the earl, besides the ferm, when the money was turned over.