Studies on Anglo-Saxon Institutions

436 Pages·1963·9.03 MB·English

by  Hector Munro Chadwick

Studies
on
Anglo-Saxon Institutions

Studies
on
Anglo-Saxon Institutions
by
H. MUNRO CHADWICK
NEW rORK
RUSSELL & RUSSELL • INC
1963
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1905
REISSUED, 1963, BY RUSSELL k RUSSELL, INC.
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
L. C. CATALOG CARD NO: 63— 15152
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PREFACE.
TN recent years the social and economic conditions
prevailing in this country in the time of the
Aoglo-Saxon dynasties have had much light thrown
apon them by the researches of various scholars in
Domesday Book and other documents of the Norman
period. Such investigations afford perhaps the
safest means of approaching the difficult problems
presented by this subject. Yet those who are
interested in the earlier periods of our national life
may serve a useful purpose by venturing from time
to time on a re-examination of the evidence available
for those periods. For some considerable time past
comparatively little has been attempted from this
side of the subject. Indeed it is often alleged, and
unfortunately not without truth, that as a people we
show a singular lack of interest in the early ages of
our history. This indifference is no doubt partly to
be attributed to the reluctance of scholars who are
primarily historians to embark on a subject for
vi Preface
which a certain amount of linguistic knowledge is
essential, but partly also to the fact that linguistic
scholars have come to regard the study of philology
as an end in itself rather than as a means to the
fuller comprehension of the life and thought of past
times.
These remarks must serve as an apology for the
presumption of one who makes no claim to special
historical knowledge in venturing upon ground which
may be thought to lie outside his own province.
At the present time a re-examination of the early
evidence appears to be called for in view of the
conclusions reached by those scholars who have been
examining the evidence of the Norman period—
conclusions which are difficult to reconcile with
certain fundamental ideas prevalent among writers
on early constitutional history. The researches of
Mr F. Seebohm, especially in bis latest work, Tribal
Custom in Anglo-Saxon Law—a book to which I am
very much indebted—have likewise contributed to
throw doubt upon views which formerly met with
general acceptance. Mr Seebohm’s statement of the
Anglo-Saxon monetary system, however, contains a
number of propositions which seem to me to require
further consideration. I have therefore deemed it
advisable to treat this subject at considerable
length.
Preface vii
The present volume makes no claim to offer
a comprehensive survey of the problems of ancient
English sociology. A few only of such problems
are treated, and those mainly of a kind which relate
to political institutions rather than to private life.
In general my object has been to call attention to
those branches of the subject which seemed not to
have been sufficiently regarded by previous writers.
Thus, for example, in sketching the history of the
kingdoms I have given special attention to the
evidence relating to Rent, Sussex, Essex and the
Hwicce. On the other hand Mercian and Northum­
brian history has been treated more briefly because
I had little or nothing to add to what had already
been said.
Other questions have been omitted for different
reasons. Thus I have not discussed the organisation
of the village community because, owing to the
inadequacy of the information obtainable from early
documents, I thought it better to leave such questions
in the hands of those who are more qualified to deal
with the modern evidence. Again, the conditions
of land-tenure during the tenth and eleventh
centuries can hardly be discussed with advantage
except by those who have made a special study of
Domesday Book. In cases where the later evidence
could not be neglected I have preferred, as far as
▼iii Preface
possible, to rely on the results obtained by other
scholars, realising as I do that the subject is one in
which anyone who is not an expert may very easily
go astray. To Professor Maitland’s Domesday Book
and Beyond I am under special obligations through­
out. In general my own researches are confined to
the period anterior to the reign of Aethelred IL
The use which I have made of certain charters
is perhaps open to criticism. I am inclined to think
that at present there is a tendency to carry scep­
ticism somewhat too far in this respect. When, even
in obviously spurious documents, we meet with
names and titles otherwise unknown, it is, I think,
a mistake to assume that they are necessarily
products of the authors’ imagination. Again, the
persistence of tradition, popular as well as ecclesias­
tical, is a force which seems to me to have been
underrated by writers on ancient English institutions.
In the rendering of ancient terms and the
representation of proper names it is impossible to
avoid inconsistency. On the whole I have perhaps
gone farther than most writers in the use of modern
expressions. For example, I do not see that any
serious objection can be made to the use of 'earl’
for (e)aldorman. On the other hand I have re­
tained certain words, such as ‘ thegn,’ on the ground
that I know of no satisfactory modern equivalent.
Preface
IX
In regard to proper names the plan which I have
followed is to use the popular forms when speaking
of persons whose names are household words, in
other cases to follow the orthography of the best
contemporary texts1. In order to avoid too great
complexity however I have generally used the
Mercian forms of names occurring before the time
of Alfred.
I am very much indebted to Mr H. M. Mac*
donald, Professor of Mathematics in the University
of Aberdeen and Fellow of Clare College, for the
generous way in which he has helped me in the pre­
paration of my work for press ; to Mr E. C. Quiggin,
Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, for kind
assistance in the revision of the proofs of the earlier
chapters ; to Miss A. C. Paues, Fellow of Newnham
College, for reading some of the proofs and for many
valuable suggestions and criticisms ; to Mr E.
Magnússon, the well-known Scandinavian scholar,
for several references in Northern literature and for
the kindly interest he has throughout shown in my
work; and to Professor W. Ridgeway for constant
help and encouragement without which I should
1 In the representation of Anglo-Saxon words I have perhaps
been biassed somewhat in favour of early forms. I regret now
that I have not had the courage to discard the useless and
inconvenient symbol ct.
x Preface
hardly have ventured to take up the study of these
subjects.
My thanks are further due to Professor T.
McKenny Hughes and Mr J. E. Foster for references
on several points of antiquarian interest; to Mr
__ 4
C. W. Moule, Fellow and Librarian of Corpus Christi
College, for allowing me to consult mss. in the
College Library ; and to the Staff of the University
Library, especially Mr A. Rogers and Mr 0. Johnson,
for the unfailing kindness and attention I have
received at their hands.
In conclusion I have to express my thanks to
the Syndics of the University Press for undertaking
the publication of this book, and to the Staff for the
careful manner in which they have carried out the
printing and the corrections.
H. M. C.
December, 1904.