The Law
The Norman conquerors brought no written law, but affirmed the laws of the nation. Two they especially enforced were:
- Anyone caught in the act of digging up the King's road, felling a tree across it, or attacking someone so that his blood spilled on it shall pay a fine to the King.
- All freemen shall have a surety who would hand him over to justice for his offenses or pay the damages or fines due. If an accused man fled, his surety would have a year to find him to obtain reimbursement.
The Conquerer proclaimed that:
- No cattle shall be sold except in towns and before three witnesses.
- For the sale of ancient chattels, there must be a surety and a warrantor.
- No man shall be sold over the sea. (This ended the slave trade at the port of Bristol.)
- The death penalty for persons tried by court is abolished.
