A purging from a crime by the oaths of several persons, according to the degree and quality of the accused. Cowell. … [Read more...]

This was the price of homicide, or other atrocious personal offense, paid partly to the king for the loss of a subject, partly to the lord for the loss of a vassal, and partly to the next of kin of the injured person. In the Anglo-Saxon laws, the amount of compensation varied with the degree or rank of the party slain. Brown. … [Read more...]

Sax. In old English law. A robber who might be ransomed ' Fleta, lib. 1, c. 47, … [Read more...]

The name of a fine among the Saxons imposed upon a murderer. 2. The life of every man, not excepting that of the king himself, was estimated at a certain price, which was called the were, or vestimatio capitis. The amount varied according to the dignity of the person murdered. The price of wounds was also varied according to the nature of the wound, or the member injured. … [Read more...]

The estimation or price of a man, especially of one slain. In the criminal law of the Anglo-Saxons, every man's life had its value, called a "were," or "capitis esttmetio." … [Read more...]