ALFRED.

I2Z

keep a watchful eye over the conduct of his cneighbours ; and was in a manner surety for thebehaviour of those who were placed under thedivision, to which he belonged: Whence thesedecennaries received the name of frankpledges.

Such a regular distribution of the people, withsuch a strict confinement in their habitation, maynot be necessary in times, when men are moreenured to obedience and justice; and it mightperhaps be regarded as destructive of liberty and.commerce in a polished state; but it was wellcalculated to reduce that fierce and licentiouspeople under the salutary restraint of law andgovernment. But Alfred took care to temperthese rigours by other institutions favourable tothe freedom of the citizens; and nothing couldbe more popular and liberal than his plan forthe administration of justice. The borstioldersummoned together his whole decennary, to assisthim in deciding any lesser difference , whichoccurred among the members of this small com-munity. In affairs of greater moment, in appealsfrom the decennary , or in controversies arisingbetween members of different decennaries , thecause was brought before the hundred, whichconsisted of ten decennaries, or a hundred familiesof freemen , and which was regularly assembledonce in four weeks, for the deciding of causes 'k

71 Leg. Edw: cap. 2.

H A 1’.

II.