Trends in Crime and Punishment in Late Medieval England

What was crime and punishment like in late medieval England?

Most Norman aspects of crime and punishment continued during the late medieval period in England, but there were some changes.

How did events in late medieval England affect crime and punishment?

There were 4 important events in late medieval England that affected crime and punishment.

• ❖ England was ruled by kings. Strong ones, such as Edward I and Henry II, tightened their hold on law and order, but weak kings were unable to control society well enough to prevent crime.
• ❖ It's believed the Black Death of 1348-1351 may have killed up to two-thirds of the population. This led to massive social upheaval and the creation of several new crimes such as vagrancy.
• ❖ The Wars of the Roses, from 1455 to 1485, was a period of civil war that meant reduced control over individuals' behaviour, especially those who were powerful.
• ❖ From the end of the 1300s, a group of people called Lollards challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. This threatened the status quo of law and order.

How was crime defined in late medieval England?

During the late medieval period, 4 main crimes were redefined and others were introduced.

• ❖ In 1275, Edward I redefined 'felonies' in his Statutes of Winchester. This was updated to include rape and the theft of anything valued at more than 12d.
• ❖ In 1351, Parliament defined 'vagrancy' as a crime to prevent workers leaving their lord's land to seek better pay elsewhere.
• ❖ In 1351, Parliament redefined treason. High treason was against the king, while petty treason was against a master, husband or superior. Counterfeiting was also considered treason.
• ❖ Some manor courts in late medieval England began to convict people (usually women) of 'scolding'.

When was the late medieval period in England?

The late medieval period in England is generally described as circa 1100 to 1500.

What role did kings play in the crime and punishments of late medieval England?

Kings took a closer interest in laws, policing, trials and punishments in late medieval England in 4 main ways:

• ❖ At the Assize of Clarendon in 1166, King Henry II reorganised the system of courts to make it more efficient.
• ❖ Royal judges, called the Justices of Eyre, travelled around the country to hear cases.
• ❖ Keepers of the King's Peace were appointed by Richard I.
• ❖ Justices of the Peace were introduced by Edward III.

Who policed late medieval England?

There was no police force in late medieval England and villagers had to raise the hue and cry to chase and catch criminals. However, new roles in law enforcement were introduced, while others became more important.

What policing roles were introduced in late Medieval England?

There were 5 key law enforcement roles:

• ❖ Coroners.
• ❖ Constables.
• ❖ Watchmen.
• ❖ Sheriffs.
• ❖ Justices of the Peace.

Who were constables in late medieval England?

Leading villagers in late medieval times chose a constable to help with policing. They held the role for a year and it was unpaid. Their main responsibility was to keep the peace in their spare time and lead the hue and cry when necessary.

Who were watchmen in late medieval England?

In late medieval towns constables were helped by the watchmen. These were citizens who kept watch for crime during the night and handed over any suspected wrongdoers to the constable in the morning.

Who were coroners in late medieval England?

In the 1190s, the king introduced coroners. Their task was to enquire into all unnatural deaths with the help of a local jury.

Who were sheriffs in late medieval England?

If villagers failed to catch the criminal then the shire reeve, who became known as the sheriff, had the job of tracking miscreants down and imprisoning them.

Who were Keepers of the King's Peace in late medieval England?

In 1195, Richard I sent loyal knights to help control unruly areas. These became known as 'Keepers of the King's Peace'.

Who were Justices of the Peace in late medieval England?

In 1361, Edward III appointed 'good and lawful men' to keep the peace in all counties of England. These were Justices of the Peace, and acted as local magistrates.