Wergilds Sentence Examples

In addition to slaves, who in early times seem to have been numerous, we find in Wessex and apparently also in Mercia three classes, described as twelfhynde, sixhynde and twihynde from the amount of their wergilds, viz.

Again, there was apparently but one ges16cund class in Kent, with a wergild of 300 shillings, while, on the other hand, below the ceorlisc class we find three classes of persons described as laetas, who corresponded in all probability to the liti or freedmen of the continental laws, and who possessed wergilds of 80, 60 and 40 shillings respectively.

To these we find nothing analogous in the other kingdoms, though the poorer classes of Welsh freemen had wergilds varying from r 20 to 60 shillings.

It should be added that the differential treatment of the various classes was by no means confined to the case of wergilds.

Generally, though not always, the proportions observed were the same as in the wergilds.

The members of such families were entitled to special wergilds, apparently six times as great as those of the higher class of nobles (see below).