Note 284 — Chapter VI · THE KING.

“Unam mansam quam fur quidam ante possederat, a rege cum triginta mancusis auri emit.” Cod. Dipl. No. 580. Bishop Denewulf had leased lands to a relative named Ælfred, for a fixed rent. “Is equidem insipiens adulterans stuprum, propriam religiose pactatam abominans, scortum diligens, libidinose commisit. Quo reatu omni substantia peculiali recte privatus est, et praefatum rus ab eo abstractum rex huius patriae suae ditioni avidus devenire iniuste optavit.” Cod. Dipl. No. 601. The injustice complained of is in the king’s seizing lands that were really not the offender’s: but so strong was the king’s right, that the church was obliged to buy back its own land for one hundred and twenty mancusses of gold. That these forfeitures resulted from a solemn judicial act admits of no doubt. In 1002, a lady who owned lands was found guilty of certain acts, her lands were forfeited, and made over to the king, in the language of the instrument, “vulgari traditione.” Cod. Dipl. No. 1296. In 938 Æðelstán gave seven hides of land to the church at Winchester: “istarum autem vii mansarum quantitas iusto valde iudicio totius populi, seniorum et primatum, ablata fuit ab eis qui eorum possessores fuerunt, quia aperto crimine furti usque ad mortem obnoxii inventi sunt; ideoque decretum est ab omni populo ut libri illorum, quos ad has terras habebant, aeternaliter dampnarentur,” etc. Cod. Dipl. No. 374. Æðelsige stole Æðelwine’s swine: his land at Dumbleton was accordingly forfeited to the king. “⁊ man geréhte Æðelrede cyninge ðæt land ⁊ ǽhta.” Cod. Dipl. No. 692. The law of the Ripuarian Franks seems to have been somewhat different: see Tit. § lxxix. de homine penduto et eius hereditate; and Eichhorn, i. 269.