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Thiudan of Eisarnknoth
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In the year of our Ruler, ALDER HIMMELSCHWERT, 1532, Thiudan Aleksandra has decreed it useful to rewrite the laws of Eisarnknoth. We must not stray away from ALDER and His tribe as we continue to emulate Him and His ways. Due to such, this extensive lawbook must be created as a reminder to the people of Eisarnknoth how we must conduct ourselves.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title I. Concerning Summonses.
Title II. Concerning Thefts of Pigs etc.
Title III. Concerning Thefts of Cattle.
Title IV. Concerning Damage done among Crops or in any Enclosure.
Title XI. Concerning Thefts or Housebreakings of Freemen.
Title XII. Concerning Thefts or Housebreakings on the Part of Baurja.
Title XIII. Concerning Assault and Robbery.
Title XIV. Concerning Arson.
Title XV. Concerning Wounds.
Title XVI. Concerning Magicians.
Title XVII. Concerning the Killing of little children and women.
Title XVIII. Concerning Insults.
Title XIX. Concerning the Theft of hunting animals.
Title XX. Concerning the Stealing of Fences.
Title XXI. Concerning the Murder of Free Men.
Title XXII. Concerning Migrators.
Title XXV. Concerning the Slaying of a Kindins or GarΔfijΕ.
Title XXVI. Concerning the Plundering of Corpses.
Title XXVII. Concerning him who shall have scorned to come to Court.
Title XXVIII. Concerning the " Chrenecruda."
Title XXIX. Concerning Private Property.
Title XXX. Concerning Wergeld.
Title I. Concerning Summonses.
1. If any one be summoned before the "DΕms Rum" by the thiudan's law, and do not come he shall be sentenced to 100 andros.
2. But he who summons another, and does not come himself, shall, if a lawful impediment have not delayed him, be sentenced to 50 andros, to be paid to him whom he summoned.
3. And he who summons another shall walk with witnesses to the home of that man, and, if he be not at home, shall bid the wife or any one of the family to make known to him that he has been summoned to court.
4. But if he be occupied in the thiudan's service he can not summon him.
Title II. Concerning Thefts of Pigs etc.
1. If any one steal a suckling pig, and it be proved against him, he shall be sentenced to 120 andros.
2. If any one steal a pig that can live without its mother, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 60 andros.
3. If any one steal a sheep where there were no more in that flock, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 300 andros.
Title III. Concerning Thefts of Cattle.
1. If any one steal that bull which rules the herd and never has been yoked, he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
2. But if that bull is shared between three farms, he who stole him shall be sentenced to three times 200 andros.
3. If any one steal a bull belonging to the thiudan he shall be sentenced to 400 andros.
Title IV. Concerning Damage done among Crops or in any Enclosure.
1. If any one finds cattle, or a horse, or flocks of any kind in his crops, he shall not at all mutilate them.
2. If he do this and confess it, he shall restore the worth of the animal in place of it, and shall himself keep the mutilated one.
3. But if he have not confessed it, and it have been proved on him, he shall be sentenced, besides the value of the animal and the fines for delay, to 200 andros.
Title XI. Concerning Thefts or Housebreakings of Freemen.
1. If any freeman steal, outside of the house, something worth 20 andros, he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
2. But if he steal, outside of the house, something worth 40 andros, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced, besides the amount and the fines for delay, to 400 andros.
3. If a freeman break into a house and steal something worth 20 andros, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 400 andros.
4. But if he shall have stolen something worth more than 40 andros, and it have been proved on him, he shall be sentenced, besides the worth of the object and the fines for delay, to 800 andros.
5. But if he have broken, or tampered with, the lock, and thus have entered the house and stolen anything from it, he shall be sentenced, besides the worth of the object and the fines for delay, to 500 andros.
6. And if he have taken nothing, or have escaped by flight, he shall, for the housebreaking alone, be sentenced to 600 andros.
Title XII. Concerning Thefts or Housebreakings on the Part of Baurja.
1. If a baurja steal, outside of the house, something worth 20 andros, he shall, besides paying the worth of the object and the fines for delay, be stretched out and receive 20 blows.
2. But if he steal something worth 40 andros, he shall either receive 40 blows or pay 100 andros. But the lord of the serf who committed the theft shall restore to the plaintiff the worth of the object and the fines for delay.
Title XIII. Concerning Assault and Robbery.
1. If any one have assaulted and plundered a free man, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 500 andros.
3. If any man should wish to migrate, and has permission from the thiudan, and shall have shown this in the public "DΕms Rum;" whoever, contrary to the decree of the thiudan, shall presume to oppose him, shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
Title XIV. Concerning Arson.
1. If any one shall set fire to a house in which men were sleeping, as many freemen as were in it can make complaint before the "DΕms Rum; " and if any one shall have been burned in it, the incendiary shall be sentenced to 1000 andros.
Title XV. Concerning Wounds.
1. If any one have wished to kill another person, and the blow have missed, he on whom it was proved shall be sentenced to 800 andros and 40 blows.
2. If any person have wished to strike another with a poisoned arrow, and the arrow have glanced aside, and it shall be proved on him; he shall be sentenced to 800 andros and 40 blows.
3. If any person strike another on the head so that the brain appears, and the three bones which lie above the brain shall project, he shall be sentenced to 2000 andros and 60 blows.
4. But if it shall have been between the ribs or in the stomach, so that the wound appears and reaches to the entrails, he shall be sentenced to 2000 andros besides 200 andros for the physician's pay alongside 60 blows.
5. If any one shall have struck a man so that blood falls to the floor, and it be proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 800 andros and 20 blows.
6. But if a freeman strike a freeman with his fist so that blood does not flow, he shall be sentenced for each blow-up to 3 blows-to 120 andros.
Title XVIII. Concerning him who, before the thiudan, accuses an innocent Man.
If any one, before the thiudan, accuse an innocent man who is absent, he shall be sentenced to 100 andros.
Title XVI. Concerning Witches.
1. If any one have given herbs to another so that he die, he shall be sentenced to 2000 andros (or shall surely be given over to fire).
2. If any person have bewitched another, and he who was thus treated shall escape, the author of the crime, who is proved to have committed it, shall be sentenced to 1000 andros.
Title XVII. Concerning the Killing of children and women.
1. If any one have slain a boy under 10 years-up to the end of the tenth and it shall have been proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 3000 andros and 60 blows.
2. If any one have hit a free woman who is pregnant and she dies, he shall be sentenced to 3200 andros and 60 blows.
3. If any one have killed a free woman after she has begun bearing children, he shall be sentenced to 3000 andros and 60 blows.
4. After she can have no more children, he who kills her shall be sentenced to 2000 andros and 60 blows.
Title XVIII. Concerning Insults.
1. If any one, man or woman, shall have called a woman harlot, and shall not have been able to prove it, he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
2. If any person shall have called another "fox," he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
3. If any man shall have called another "hare," he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
4. If any man shall have brought it up against another that he has deserted battle and shall not have been able to prove it, he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
5. If any man shall have called another "spy" or "perjurer," and shall not have been able to prove it, he shall be sentenced to 300 andros.
Title XIX. Concerning the Theft of hunting animals.
1. If any one have stolen a tame marked hound or bird, trained to hunting, and it shall have been proved through witnesses that his master had him for hunting, or had killed with him two or three beasts, he shall be sentenced to 400 andros.
Title XX. Concerning the Stealing of Fences.
1. If any man shall have cut 3 staves by which a fence is bound or held together, or have stolen or cut the heads of 3 stakes, he shall be sentenced to 200 andros.
2. If any one shall have drawn a harrow through another's harvest after it has sprouted, or shall have gone through it with a wagon where there was no road, he shall be sentenced to 300 andros.
3. If any one shall have gone, where there is no way or path, through another's harvest which has already become thick, he shall be sentenced to 400 andros.
Title XXI. Concerning the Murder of Free Men.
1. If any one shall have killed a free Eisarnthiuda, or one living under the Code of Aleksandra, and it have been proved on him, he shall be sentenced to 3000 andros and 60 blows.
2. But if he shall have thrown him into a well or into the water, or shall have covered him with branches or anything else, to conceal him, he shall be sentenced to 3400 andros and 60 blows.
3. But if any one has slain a man who is in the service of the thiudan, he shall be sentenced to 4000 andros and 60 blows.
4. But if he have put him in the water or in a well, and covered him with anything to conceal him, he shall be sentenced to 4400 andros and 60 blows.
5. If any one have thrown a free man into a well, and he have escaped alive, he (the criminal) shall be sentenced to 2000 andros and 60 blows.
Title XXII. Concerning Migrators.
1. If any one wish to migrate to another village and if one or more who live in that village do not wish to receive him,-if there be only one who objects, he shall not have leave to move there.
2. But if he shall have presumed to settle in that village in spite of his rejection by one or two men, then some one shall give him warning. And if he be unwilling to go away, he who gives him warning shall give him warning, with witnesses, as follows: I warn thee that thou mayst remain here this next night as the Code of Aleksandra demands, and I warn thee that within 10 nights thou shalt go forth from this village. After another 10 nights he shall again come to him and warn him again within 10 nights to go away. If he still refuse to go, again 10 nights shall be added to the command, that the number of 30 nights may be full. If he will not go away even then, then he shall summon him to the "DΕms Rum," and present his witnesses as to the separate commands to leave. If he who has been warned will not then move away, and no valid reason detains him, and all the above warnings which we have mentioned have been given according to law: then he who gave him warning shall take the mutter into his own hands and request the "comes" to go to that place and expel him. And because he would not listen to the law, that man shall relinquish all that he has earned there, and, besides, shall be sentenced to 1200 andros.
3. But if anyone have moved there, and within 12 months no one have given him warning, he shall remain as secure as the other neighbors.
Title XXIII. Concerning Promises to Pay.
1. If any freeman have made to another a promise to pay, then he to whom the promise was made shall, within 40 days or within such term as was agreed when he made the promise, go to the house of that man with witnesses, or with appraisers. And if he (the debtor) be unwilling to make the promised payment, he shall be sentenced to 150 andros above the debt which he had promised.
2. If he then be unwilling to pay, he (the creditor) shall summon him before the "DΕms Rum"; and thus accuse him: "I ask thee, 'Thunginus,' to ban my opponent who made me a promise to pay and owes me a debt." And he shall state how much he owes and promised to pay. Then the "Thunginus" shall say: " I ban thy opponent to what the Code of Aleksandra decrees." Then he to whom the promise was made shall warn him (the debtor) to make no payment or pledge of payment to anybody else until he has fulfilled his promise to him (the creditor). And straightway on that same day before the sun sets, he shall go to the house of that man with witnesses, and shall ask if he will pay that debt. If he will not, he (the creditor) shall wait until after sunset; then, if he have waited until after sunset, 120 andros, shall be added on to the debt. And this shall be done up to 3 times in 3 weeks. And if at the third time he will not pay all this, it (the sum) shall increase to 360 andros: so, namely, that, after each admonition or waiting until after sunset, 20 andros shall be added to the debt.
3. If any one be unwilling to fulfill his promise in the regular assembly,-then he to whom the promise was made shall go the Mekeiman of that place, in whose district he lives, and shall take the stalk and shall say: oh Mekeiman, that man made me a promise to pay, and I have lawfully summoned him before the court according to the Code of Aleksandra on this matter; I pledge thee myself and my fortune that thou may'st safely seize his property. And he shall state the case to him, and shall tell how much he (the debtor) had agreed to pay. Then the Mekeiman shall collect suitable bailiffs, and shall go with them to the house of him who made the promise and shall say: thou who art here present pay voluntarily to that man what thou didst promise, and choose any two of those bailiffs who shall appraise that from which thou shalt pay; and make good what thou cost owe, according to a just appraisal. But if he will not hear, or be absent, then the bailiffs shall take from his property the value of the debt which he owes. And, according to the law, the accuser shall take two thirds of that which the debtor owes, and the Mekeiman shall collect for himself the other third as peace money; unless the peace money shall have been paid to him before in this same matter.
4. If the Mekeiman have been appealed to, and no sufficient reason, and no duty of the thiudan, have detained him-and if he have put off going, and have sent no substitute to demand law and justice: he shall answer for it with his life, or shall redeem himself with his "wergeld."
Title XXIV. Concerning the Slaying of a Kindins or GarΔfijΕ.
1. If any one slay a GarΔfijΕ, he shall be sentenced to 5000 andros.
2. If any one slay a Kindins, he shall be sentenced to 6000 andros.
Title XXV. Concerning the Plundering of Corpses.
1. If any one shall have dug up and plundered a corpse already buried, and it shall have been proved on him, he shall be outlawed until the day when he comes to an agreement with the relatives of the dead man, and they ask for him that he be allowed to come among men. And whoever, before he comes to an arrangement with the relative, shall give him bread or shelter-even if they are his relations or his own wife-shall be sentenced to 600 andros.
2. But he who is proved to have committed the crime shall be sentenced to 800 andros.
Title XXVI. Concerning him who shall have scorned to come to Court.
1. If any man shall have scorned to come to court, and shall have put off fulfilling the injunction of the bailiffs, and shall not have been willing to consent to undergo the fine, or the kettle ordeal, or anything prescribed by law: then he (the plaintiff) shall summon him to the presence of the thiudan. And there shall be 12 witnesses who-3 at a time being sworn-shall testify that they were present when the bailiff enjoined him (the accused) either to go to the kettle ordeal, or to agree concerning the fine; and that he had scorned the injunction. Then 3 others shall swear that they were there on the day when the bailiffs enjoined that he should free himself by the kettle ordeal or by composition; and that 40 days after that, in the "mallberg," he (the accuser) had again waited until after sunset, and that he (the accused) would not obey the law. Then he (the accuser) shall summon him before the thiudan for a fortnight thence; and three witnesses shall swear that they were there when he summoned him and when he waited for sunset. If he does not then come, those 9, being sworn, shall give testimony as we have above explained. On that day likewise, if he do not come, he (the accuser) shall let the sun go down on him, and shall have 3 witnesses who shall be there when he waits till sunset. But if the accuser shall have fulfilled all this, and the accused shall not have been willing to come to any court, then the thiudan, before whom he has been summoned, shall withdraw his protection from him. Then he shall be guilty, and all his goods shall belong to the fisc, or to him to whom the fisc may wish to give them. And whoever shall have fed or housed him-even if it were his own wife-shall be sentenced to 600 andros, which make 15 shillings; until he (the debtor) shall have made good all that has been laid to his charge.
Title XXVII. Concerning the "Chrenecruda."
1. If any one have killed a man, and, having given up all his property, has not enough to comply with the full terms of the law, he shall present 6 sworn witnesses to the effect that, neither above the earth nor under it, has he any more property than he has already given. And he shall afterwards go into his house, and shall collect in his hand dust from the four corners of it, and shall afterwards stand upon the threshold, looking inwards into the house. And then, with his left hand, he shall throw over his shoulder some of that dust on the nearest relative that he has. But if his father and (his father's) brothers have already paid, he shall then throw that dust on their (the brothers') children-that is, over three (relatives) who are nearest on the father's and three on the mother's side. And after that, in his shirt, without girdle and without shoes, a staff in his hand, he shall spring over the hedge. And then those three shall pay half of what is lacking of the compounding money or the legal fine; that is, those others who are descended in the paternal line shall do this.
2. But if there be one of those relatives who has not enough to pay his whole indebtedness, he, the poorer one, shall in turn throw the "chrenecruda" on him of them who has the most, so that he shall pay the whole fine.
3. But if he also have not enough to pay the whole, then he who has charge of the murderer shall bring him before the "DΕms Rum", in order that they (his friends) may take him under their protection. And if no one have taken him under his protection -that is, so as to redeem him for what he can not pay- then he shall have to atone with his life.
Title XXXVIII. Concerning Private Property.
1. If any man die and leave no sons but has a daughter, they shall inherit.
3. If any man has no children, the father and mother may inherit.
4. If the father and the mother do not survive, and he leave brothers or sisters, they shall inherit.
5. But if there are none, the sisters of the father shall inherit.
6. But if there are no sisters of the father, the sisters of the mother shall claim that inheritance.
7. If there are none of these, the nearest relatives on the father's side shall succeed to that inheritance.
Title XXIX. Concerning Wergeld.
1. If any one's father have been killed, the sons shall have half the compounding money (wergeld); and the other half the nearest relatives, as well on the mother's as on the father's side, shall divide among themselves.
2. But if there are no relatives, paternal or maternal that portion shall go to the fisc.
Title XXX. Concerning the DΕms Rum.
1. The βThuringusβ is the high judge of Eisarnknoth who has the right to call the βDΕms Rumβ, a court of judgement.
2. The βThuringusβ is appointed by the Thiudan directly.
3. The βThuringusβ has a position on the Raginleiks Gafaurds and reports to the Thiudan due to such.
4. The βThuringusβ must call for an assembly of the village or town involved during the βDΕms Rumβ.
Thiudan Aleksandra
Mikils BlΕstreis of Eisarnknoth
of the House of Baireiksing
Fireday 5, Greenfall, 1534
Reik Alfred
Thuringus of Eisarnknoth
of the House of Baireiksing
Fireday 5, Greenfall, 1534
Mikils BlΕstreis of Eisarnknoth
of the House of Baireiksing
Fireday 5, Greenfall, 1534
Reik Alfred
Thuringus of Eisarnknoth
of the House of Baireiksing
Fireday 5, Greenfall, 1534
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