the Welsh laws, a fixed payment of food in lieu of the entertainment with which in earlier times the free tenants were obliged to supply their lord. Bloodwyte was the fine inflicted for causing wounds or bloodshed. Under the Statute of Wales the Sheriff was obliged to diligently inquire concerning bloodshed by the oath of a jury, but by the ordinance of West Wales and South Wales the jurisdiction of the Kings's Bailifs was enlarged and they were directed to ascertain "by view" as to this. In the West Wales and South Wales Ordinance we find that where complaints concerning contracts and trespass between Englishmen and Welshmen were to be decided by inquest, one half of the inquest was to be composed of Englishmen and the other half of Welshmen worthy of trust The North Wales Ordinance had no provision to this effect, but it is probable that this was also the general practice throughout North Wales and required no such provision. Judge David Lewis in dealing with these Ordinances says[1] "that an exhaustive legal commentary on the ordinances is impossible with the materials available at present. The period between the Statutum Wallliæ and the incorporation Statute of Henry the Eighth is a dark period in Welsh History, awaiting the examination of much material lying in the Records of the time. It may be possible after such an examination to answer the questions how the mixed Jury of Welshmen and Englishmen worked in practice. Did the English judges who came round take to it kindly? Were the juries addressed in both Welsh and English? How was this managed when the Judge knew no Welsh, and what part did the Latimer (Lladmerydd=Interpreter) play?"
The North Wales Ordinance related to freemen and religious persons and removed the burdens which were placed on the former. The customary taxes due from villeins and strangers were to be taken as they were levied
- ↑ "Wales," vol. ii. p. 443.
