APPENDIX s.

2 re)

tine serfs, which are at present to be met with in AppendisPoland , Denmark , and some parts of Germany, i.The power of a master over his slaves was notunlimited among the Anglo-Saxons, as it wasamong their ancestors. If a man beat out hisslave’s eye or teeth , the slave recovered hisliberty 1 ’: If he killed him, he paid a fine to theking; provided the slave died within a day afterthe wound or blow: Otherwise it passed unpun-ished The selling of themselves or childrento slavery was always the practice among theGerman nations ", and was continued by theAnglo - Saxons 2 ". *

The great lords and abbots among the Anglo-Saxons possessed a criminal jurisdiction withintheir territories, and could punish without appealany thieves or robbers whom they caught thereThis institution must have had a very contraryeffect to that which was intended , and musthave procured robbers a sure protection on thelands of such noblemen as did not sincerely meanto discourage crimes and violence.

But though the general strain of the Anglo- Courts fSaxon government seems to have become aristo- i “ tticevcratical, there were still considerable remains of

15 LL. Ælf. § 20. “ Ibid. § 17.

*’ Tacit, de morib. Germ,

13 LL. Inæ, § ii. LL. Ælf. § 12,

" Higden, lib. 1. cap. 50. LL. Ldw. Cons §. 26.

Spellm. Cone. vol. I. p. 415. Gloss, in verb. Haligemot et;lusangentbefe.

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