Chapter XXXI (13)

9. About taxes. You further asked us, if the citizens have property outside of the territory of the city which they hold from some lord and from which they receive an income, are they bound to pay the tax which may be assessed on property outside the city, just the same as they do on their ordinary property? We answer that, according to the law and practice of our city, every man must pay taxes on his property outside as well as inside the city, no matter where it is, and he must take an oath to its value and pay a tax accordingly.

318. The Establishment of the Rhine League, 1254.

M. G. LL. 4to, IV, 2, no. 428.

Commerce, the chief interest of the cities, could flourish only under peaceful conditions. But peace was a stranger to Germany toward the middle of the thirteenth century. In order to prosecute his Italian-Sicilian policy, Frederick II had left Germany to her fate. The princes were engaged in private warfare, and a large number of robber barons plied their trade and made the roads unsafe. Conrad IV was fighting for the possession of the crown and so was unable to establish peace. William of Holland was recognized in only a small territory and was practically helpless to restore order. Under these circumstances the cities of the Rhine valley determined to take matters into their own hands, and so made a league for the purpose of protecting their commerce against the robber barons and other highwaymen who infested all the roads and streams. We give the document by which the league was formed, and the one in which is embodied its first legislation.

In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity. The judges, consuls [aldermen], and all the citizens of Mainz, Cologne, Worms, Speyer, Strassburg, Basel, and other cities which are bound together in the league of holy peace, to all the faithful of Christ, greeting in him who is the author of peace and the ground of salvation.

1. Since now for a long time many of our citizens have been completely ruined by the violence and wrongs which have been inflicted on them in the country and along the roads, and through their ruin others have also been ruined, so that innocent people, through no fault of their own, have suffered great loss, it is high time that some way be found for preventing such violence, and for restoring peace in all our lands in an equitable manner.

2. Therefore we wish to inform all that, with the aid of our Lord Jesus Christ, the author and lover of peace, and for the purpose of fostering peace and rendering justice, we have all unanimously agreed on the following terms of peace: We have mutually bound ourselves by oath to observe a general peace for ten years from St. Margaret's day [July 13, 1254]. The venerable archbishops, Gerhard of Mainz, Conrad of Cologne, Arnold of Trier, and the bishops, Richard of Worms, Henry of Strassburg, Jacob of Metz, Bertold of Basel, and many counts and nobles of the land have joined us in this oath, and they as well as we have all surrendered the unjust tolls which we have been collecting both by land and water, and we will collect them no longer.

3. This promise shall be kept in such a way that not only the greater ones among us shall have the advantage of this common protection, but all, the small with the great, the secular clergy, monks of every order, laymen, and Jews, shall enjoy this protection and live in the tranquillity of holy peace. If anyone breaks this peace, we will all go against him with all our forces, and compel him to make proper satisfaction.

4. In regard to the quarrels or differences which now exist between members of this peace, or which may hereafter arise, they shall be settled in the following way: Each city and each lord, who are members of this league, shall choose four reliable men and give them full authority to settle all quarrels in an amicable way, or in some legal manner....

319. Peace Established by the Rhine League, 1254.

M. G. LL. folio, II, 369 f.

See introductory note to no. 318.

In the name of the Lord, amen. In the year of our Lord 1254, on the octave of St. Michael's day [that is, a week after Sept. 29] we, the cities of the upper and lower Rhine, leagued together for the preservation of peace, met in the city of Worms. We held a meeting there and carefully discussed everything pertaining to a general peace. To the honor of God, and of the holy mother church, and of the holy empire, which is now governed by our lord, William [of Holland], king of the Romans, and to the common advantage of all, both rich and poor alike, we made the following laws. They are for the benefit of all, both poor and great, the secular clergy, monks, laymen, and Jews. To secure these things which are for the public good we will spare neither ourselves nor our possessions. The princes and lords who take the oath are joined with us.

1. We decree that we will make no warlike expeditions except those that are absolutely necessary and determined on by the wise counsel of the cities and communes. We will mutually aid each other with all our strength in securing redress for our grievances.

2. We decree that no member of the league, whether city or lord, Christian or Jew, shall furnish food, arms, or aid of any kind, to anyone who opposes us or the peace.

3. And no one in our cities shall give credit, or make a loan to them.

4. No citizen of any of the cities in the league shall associate with such, or give them counsel, aid, or support. If anyone is convicted of doing so, he shall be ejected from the city and punished so severely in his property that he will be a warning to others not to do such things.

5. If any knight, in trying to aid his lord who is at war with us, attacks or molests us anywhere outside of the walled towns of his lord, he is breaking the peace, and we will in some way inflict due punishment on him and his possessions, no matter who he is. If he is caught in any of the cities, he shall be held as a prisoner until he makes proper satisfaction. We wish to be protectors of the peasants, and we will protect them against all violence if they will observe the peace with us. But if they make war on us, we will punish them, and if we catch them in any of the cities, we will punish them as malefactors.

6. We wish all the cities to destroy all the ferries except those in their immediate neighborhood, so that there shall be no ferries except those near the cities which are in the league. This is to be done in order that the enemies of the peace may be deprived of all means of crossing the Rhine.

7. We decree that if any lord or knight aids us in promoting the peace, we will do all we can to protect him. Whoever does not swear to keep the peace with us, shall be excluded from the general peace.

8. We decree that whoever is in our cities as a pledge [that is, as security that some contract will be kept] shall have peace from all who are in the league. We will not permit him to be molested by anyone so long as he is in one of our cities; but we will defend him, and he may enter and leave the city as he pleases.

9. But if any such man breaks his oath and flees, he shall be warned three times by the city, and if he does not return, the creditor, or the one to whom he had been security, may bring suit against him before the judges and they shall compel him to continue as security.

10. Above all we wish to affirm that we desire to live in mutual peace with the lords and all the people of the province, and we wish that each should preserve all his rights.

11. Under threat of punishment we forbid any citizen to revile the lords although they may be our enemies. For although we wish to punish them for the violence they have done us, yet before making war on them we will first warn them to cease from injuring us.

12. We decree that all correspondence about this matter with the cities of the lower Rhine shall be conducted from Mainz, and from Worms with the cities of the upper Rhine. From these two cities all our correspondence shall be carried on and all who have done us injury shall be warned. Those who have suffered injury shall send their messengers at their own expense.

13. We also promise, both lords and cities, to send four official representatives to whatever place a conference is to be held, and they shall have full authority from their cities to decide on all matters. They shall report to their cities all the decisions of the meeting. All who come with the representatives of the cities or who come to them [while in session], shall have peace, and no judgment shall be enforced against them.

14. No city shall receive non-residents, who are commonly called "pfahlburgers," as citizens.

15. We firmly promise that if any member of the league breaks the peace, we will proceed against him at once as if he were not a member, and compel him to make proper satisfaction.

16. We promise that we will faithfully keep each other informed by letter about our enemies and all others who may be able to do us damage, in order that we may take timely counsel to protect ourselves against them.

17. We decree that no one shall violently enter the house of monks or nuns, of whatever order they may be, or quarter themselves upon them, or demand or extort food, or any kind of service, from them contrary to their will. If anyone does this he shall be held as a violator of the peace.

18. We decree that each city shall try to persuade each of its neighboring cities to swear to keep the peace. If they do not do so, they shall be entirely cut off from the peace, so that if anyone does them an injury, either in their persons or their property, he shall not thereby break the peace.

19. We wish all members of the league, cities, lords, and all others, to arm themselves properly and prepare for war, so that whenever we call upon them we shall find them ready.

20. We decree that the cities between the Mosel and Basel shall prepare 100 war boats, and the cities below the Mosel shall prepare 500, well equipped with bowmen, and each city shall prepare herself as well as she can and supply herself with arms for knights and foot-soldiers.

320. Agreement between Hamburg and Lübeck, _ca._ 1230.

Keutgen, Urkunden zur Städtischen Verfassungsgeschichte, no. 427.

With the deposition of Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony, in 1180, and the consequent dismemberment of his duchy (see no. 112), north Germany was left without a great prince, and there was no hope that anyone would be able to unite the numerous principalities which were enjoying more or less sovereignty. The absence of any strong power gave greater opportunity for the development of the cities and made the Hanseatic league possible. This league had its origin in the league between Hamburg and Lübeck for mutual protection against robbers in 1241. But these cities had already for a long time been friendly, and had made a mutual agreement for the protection of the merchants of the one city when they went to the other. Other cities joined them in the league of 1241. The power and influence of the league grew until it was able to carry on war and to dictate in political matters to the whole north. The earliest stages of the development of the league are illustrated by nos. 320-322.

To their honorable and beloved friends, the advocate, aldermen, and other citizens of Lübeck, the advocate, aldermen, and the commune of Hamburg, greeting, etc....

We wish you to know that we desire by all means to preserve the mutual love and friendship which have hitherto existed between you and us. We desire that we shall have the same law, so that whenever your citizens come into our city, bringing goods that are unencumbered [that is, about which there is no dispute or suit pending], they may possess and enjoy them in peace and security, in the same way as our citizens....

321. Agreement for Mutual Protection between Lübeck and Hamburg, 1241.

Keutgen, no. 428.

The advocate, council and commune of Lübeck.... We have made the following agreement with our dear friends, the citizens of Hamburg.

1. If robbers or other depredators attack citizens of either city anywhere from the mouth of the Trave river to Hamburg, or anywhere on the Elbe river, the two cities shall bear the expenses equally in destroying and extirpating them.

2. If anyone who lives outside the city, kills, wounds, beats, or mishandles, without cause, a citizen of either city, the two cities shall bear the expenses equally in punishing the offender. We furthermore agree to share the expenses equally in punishing those who injure their citizens in the neighborhood of their city and those who injure our citizens in the neighborhood of our city.

3. If any of their citizens are injured near our city [Lübeck], they shall ask our officials to punish the offender, and if any of our citizens are injured near their city [Hamburg], they shall ask their officials to punish the offender.

322. Lübeck, Rostock, and Wismar Proscribe Pirates, 1259.

Keutgen, no. 429.

To all the faithful subjects of Christ.... The communes of Lübeck, Rostock, and Wismar.... Since most merchants are not protected on the sea from pirates and robbers, we have, in a common council, decreed, and by this writing declare, that all who rob merchants in churches, in cemeteries, or on the water or on the land, shall be outlawed and proscribed by all cities and merchants. No matter where these robbers go with their booty, whatever city or land receives them shall be held equally guilty with them, and proscribed by all the cities and merchants....

323. Decrees of the Hanseatic League, 1260-64.

Keutgen, no. 430 a.

We wish to inform you of the action taken in support of all merchants who are governed by the law of Lübeck.

(1) Each city shall, to the best of her ability, keep the sea clear of pirates, so that merchants may freely carry on their business by sea. (2) Whoever is expelled from one city because of a crime shall not be received in another. (3) If a citizen is seized [by pirates, robbers, or bandits] he shall not be ransomed, but his sword-belt and knife shall be sent to him [as a threat to his captors]. (4) Any merchant ransoming him shall lose all his possessions in all the cities which have the law of Lübeck. (5) Whoever is proscribed in one city for robbery or theft shall be proscribed in all. (6) If a lord besieges a city, no one shall aid him in any way to the detriment of the besieged city, unless the besieger is his lord. (7) If there is a war in the country, no city shall on that account injure a citizen from the other cities, either in his person or goods, but shall give him protection. (8) If any man marries a woman in one city, and another woman from some other city comes and proves that he is her lawful husband, he shall be beheaded. (9) If a citizen gives his daughter or niece in marriage to a man [from another city], and another man comes and says that she is his lawful wife, but cannot prove it, he shall be beheaded.

This law shall be binding for a year, and after that the cities shall inform each other by letter of what decisions they make.

324. Decrees of the Hanseatic League, 1265.

Keutgen, no. 430 b.

We ought to hold a meeting once a year to legislate about the affairs of the cities.

(5) If pirates appear on the sea, all the cities must contribute their share to the work of destroying them.

325. Cologne Merchants have a Gildhall in London, 1157.

Keutgen, no. 431.

The merchants of Cologne early had commercial dealings with London. Her commercial relations with England were more important to her than her relations with Germany, and as a result of this she generally preferred her English alliance to her less lucrative relations with other German principalities on the mainland. In international complications Cologne was apt to be found on the side of England. This document is interesting as showing the early existence of the gildhall of the merchants of Cologne, which was the starting-point of the Hanse in London.

Henry [II], by the grace of God, etc., ... to his justiciars, sheriffs, and all his officials in England, greeting. I command you to guard, maintain, and protect all the men and citizens of Cologne as if they were my own subjects and friends, and all their goods, merchandise, and possessions. You shall not permit them to suffer any loss or damage in their house in London, which is called their gildhall, or in their goods, or merchandise, or anything else that belongs to them, because they are faithful to me, and they are in my ward and protection. They shall have complete protection, and they shall pay only their customary tolls, and you shall not exact new tolls from them....

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following list is intended to serve both as a brief bibliography of important collections of mediæval documents and as an explanation of the references. In the case of the more important collections and works a brief comment is added. Many titles are omitted where the reference in the text is clear and the work is not of general importance.

1. LARGE COLLECTIONS; NATIONAL

M. G. Monumenta Germaniæ Historica; SS., LL., DD., refer to the divisions Scriptores, Leges, Diplomata, according to which the work is arranged; folio, 4to, refer to the two forms of the collection.

Scriptores rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum; chronicles reprinted in 8vo from M. G. SS.

Jaffé, Bibliotheca rerum Germanicarum; 6 vols.

Böhmer, Fontes rerum Germanicarum; 4 vols.

Böhmer-Ficker-Winkelmann, Regesta. Summaries of imperial documents with indications of the places where they are to be found.

Bouquet Recueil des historiens des Gaules et de la France. French collection of mediæval sources, in 23 vols.

Documents inédits sur l'histoire de France.

Muratori, Rerum Italicarum Scriptores; collection of chronicles relating chiefly to the history of Italy in the Middle Age, in 28 vols.

Rolls series, Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores, or chronicles and memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages. Published under the direction of the Master of the Rolls.

Rymer, Foedera; English public documents, 20 vols.

2. LARGE COLLECTIONS; ECCLESIASTICAL AND PAPAL

Migne, Patrologia; Cursus completus patrologiæ.... Series Latina; acts and writings of the fathers and popes, 221 vols.

Mansi, Conciliorum amplissima collectio.

Hefele, Conciliengeschichte; quotes or cites in translation many decrees of councils; 9 vols.

Baronius, Annales ecclesiastici; collection of chronicles relating to the history of the Roman Catholic church, published in 1598.

Raynaldus, Annales; continuation of Baronius.

Watterich, Pontificum Romanorum vitæ; lives of the popes, 9th to 13th centuries.

Bullarium Romanum; collection of papal bulls, 450-1550 A.D.

Corpus juris canonici; collection of decrees of councils and popes, forming the body of the canon or church law.

Liber diurnus; collection of forms of papal documents, letters, grants, bulls, etc., to serve as models for the papal secretaries.

Duchesne, Liber pontificalis.

3. SPECIAL TOPICS, SELECTED DOCUMENTS, ETC.

Die Chroniken der deutschen Städte vom 14. bis ins 16. Jahrh.; 22 vols.

Huilliard-Bréholles, Historica diplomatica Friderici secundi; 12 vols.

Doeberl, Monumenta Germaniæ Selecta; selected documents referring to the history of Germany, vols. 3-5, 1037-1250 A.D.

Altmann und Bernheim, Ausgewählte Urkunden; selected documents referring to the history of Germany in the Middle Age.

Breslau, Diplomata Centum; a collection of one hundred documents illustrating mediæval diplomatics.

GLOSSARY

This list is meant to include only technical terms which occur frequently in the text. Terms which are familiar, and those which are used only once or twice and explained in the text, are therefore not included.

abbot, head of a monastery; see no. 251, chs. 2, 64.

advocate, _advocatus_, representative of church or prelate in secular affairs; in feudal system regularly a vassal of the church, holding office and church lands as fief; see no. 296 introduction.

aids, obligations of vassal to his lord; see introductory note to nos. 209-228, and nos. 215-217.

alderman, originally head of a gild; later, regularly member of ruling council of a city.

allodial land, alod, small freehold, as distinct from tenant-farm; later in feudal system also applied to family possessions of a noble as distinct from lands held by title of duke, count, etc.; an instance of this latter use in no. 90.

anathema, curse, regularly associated with papal excommunication.

apostolic seat, apostolic see, the bishopric of Rome, used as a figure of speech for pope or papal office.

Augustus, from time of Otto III the title regularly assumed by emperors after imperial coronation; indicates the theory that mediæval emperors were successors to Roman emperors.

bailly, bailiff, representative of lord in the villa.

ban, (1) proscription, or outlawry, regularly that pronounced by emperor against a subject; (2) particular fine paid to emperor or king in addition to ordinary penalty, usually 60 solidi.

basilica, church, especially early church modelled on Roman public building called basilica.

_Bauermeister_, see introductory note to section vii.

benefice, _beneficium_, (1) a form of land-holding, practically a fief; see nos. 197-202 and introduction; (2) lands and income attached to the office of a canon.

bull, a decree or edict of the pope.

burggrave, the official representative of overlord or king in a city; later a feudal noble.

canon, (1) a decree of a council or synod; (2) one of the chapter of a bishop's church.

canon law, ecclesiastical law, the law of the church, based on the decrees of popes and councils; see no. 33, introduction, and Bibliography, Corpus juris canonici.

canonical election, election of a church official in accordance with canon law.

capitulary, decree or edict of Carolingian king or emperor, drawn up with advice of Frankish assembly.

cardinal, a member of the Sacred College, the advisory body of the pope, standing next to him in Catholic hierarchy, and intrusted with duty of electing pope. Members of college have titular offices in the bishopric of Rome, as cardinal bishops (now 6 in number), cardinal presbyters (now 50), and cardinal deacons (now 14).

chamberlain, see court officials.

chancellor, official at the head of the department intrusted with drawing up and preserving documents; an important office in every royal court, frequently held by an ecclesiastic.

chaplain, priest of private church or chapel of great lord or ruler; in royal courts becomes important member of council and central administration of king.

chapter, regularly the corporation of the clergy attached to the bishop's church, including dean, præpositus, cantor, scholasticus, penitentiarius, treasurer, etc.

confession of St. Peter; see no. 45, note 64.

council, the general assembly of the church, composed of chief clergy and representatives of lower clergy, and summoned occasionally by pope or cardinals; see no. 41, note 60, and nos. 169-174.

count, _comes_, the chief official in a county, originally as representative of the king, later, in feudal system, as feudal lord of lesser nobles in county.

count palatine, _comes palatinus_, one of chief officials of royal court; in feudal system, hereditary title attached to certain possessions, as palatine county of the Rhine in Germany, and of Champagne in France.

court officials, officers of the royal courts charged with important departments of central administration: seneschal, steward, chief official in charge of royal household and domains; chamberlain, originally officer in charge of royal chamber, later practically treasurer; cup-bearer, cellarer, or butler, officer in charge of vineyards; marshal or constable, officer in charge of royal stables, later of the royal army. These offices in the beginning were of private nature, were later extended to include important public functions and became hereditary in hands of great nobles, and then became merely titular and ceremonial, the real duties being performed by royal officials and servants. See no. 160, ch. 27, for this last stage, in Germany.

cupbearer, see court officials.

dean, head of a chapter of canons.

denarius, a small coin, penny, originally silver; see no. 4, I, note 2.

diet, general assembly of the empire, including in final form the great ecclesiastics and nobles, and representatives of imperial cities; see nos. 146, 158, 159, 160 for instances.

diocese, ecclesiastical district ruled over by a bishop, made up of parishes; archdiocese, ecclesiastical district of an archbishop, comprising several bishoprics.

duke, ruler of a duchy, a great feudal lord, in Germany retaining character also of a public official to time of Frederick I.

electors, electoral princes, princes of Germany who exercised the right of electing the emperor; see no. 160 for names of the electors, their prerogatives, etc.

excommunication, exclusion from the communion of the Catholic church, entailing loss of rank and privileges on part of church officials, and of allegiance of subjects on part of secular ruler; ecclesiastical outlawry.

feudal terms, see introductory note to nos. 209-228.

fief, regularly an estate or territory held from a superior on terms of personal allegiance and honorable service, usually military support.

_fodrum_, fodder; as an obligation, the duty of supplying provisions for the royal army.

gild, society or association of merchants of a town, or of artisans of single trade in a town. Gild of the merchants in many cases represented the town in the struggle for a charter, and government of many towns was based on the organization of the gild.

hide, portion of a family in the lands of the village community.

hierarchy of the Catholic church, chief ecclesiastical officials; in order of authority: pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops. For lower grades, see no. 34, note 57.

homage, ceremony of entering into personal dependence on a lord, preliminary to receiving a fief from him; see nos. 209-214, 218-225.

hundred, division of the county, mainly for judicial purposes; see no. 1, note 1, and no. 4 introduction.

hundred-court, local public court of the hundred; the regular public court in Germany; see introductory note to section vii.

hundred-man, _centenarius_, _centgraf_, presiding official of the hundred-court, usually elected by freemen of the hundred; see no. 1, note 4, and no. 4 introduction.

immunity, freedom from control of public officials; a right attached to gifts of land from king; see nos. 190-194, and introduction.

indiction, number of a year in a period of 15 years, used as a means of dating mediæval documents; established by Constantine and beginning with the year 313 A.D. To find the indiction of a year, add 3 to the number of the year and divide by 15; the remainder is the indiction of the year; if there is no remainder, the indiction is 15.

indulgence, see no. 179 introduction.

insignia, symbols of office, commonly referring to royal or imperial symbols; see nos. 158, 159, and 160, ch. 22, for insignia of emperor.

interdict, prohibition of performance of church services and sacraments, pronounced by ecclesiastical authority against a district or a country, frequently for the sins of its ruler.

investiture, the ceremony of induction into office, whether ecclesiastical or secular.

justice, in feudal system technically right of lord to try cases of inhabitants of his fief in his feudal court; see no. 228, 1, note 94; as a revenue, income from fines in feudal justice.

king of the Romans, title used by German kings from the time of Henry III before the imperial coronation; later also used by son of the emperor associated in the rule with his father.

landgrave, a feudal noble, practically the same as feudal count.

legate, special representative of the pope; see no. 66 introduction.

liege homage, see no. 218 introduction.

margrave, the official in control of a mark or frontier county; later a feudal noble.

marshal, see court officials.

metropolitan, as a noun, archbishop; as an adjective, archiepiscopal.

ministerial, servant of the king or great lord in Germany; being endowed with land and used as mounted followers in war, they become a lower nobility; see no. 297 introduction.

missi, in general, representatives of central government sent into local districts; in particular, the officials sent out annually by Karl the Great and his successors to oversee the administration of local officials, etc.; see no. 9 introduction.

notary, lower official in the department of the chancellor.

patriarch, in the west, honorary title attached to certain bishoprics, as patriarch of Aquileia; in East, bishop of highest rank, as patriarch of Constantinople.

_patricius_, see no. 48 introduction.

patrimony, estate or territory belonging to the pope as possession of office; Patrimony of St. Peter, land about Rome which was the basis of the states of the church.

Petrine theory, see no. 35.

pfahlburgers, _phalburgii_; see no. 139, sec. 10.

pontificate, papacy, period of rule of a pope.

pope, bishop of Rome and head of the church; titles: vicar of Christ, vicar of St. Peter, apostolic, universal, servant of the servants of God, etc.

_præpositus_, prévôt, provost, (1) member of chapter of canons, in charge of lands of the chapter; (2) a layman in charge of domain lands of a bishop; (3) the representative of great lord or king in local regions; (4) the chief of a gild, or the mayor of a city.

precarium, see introductory note to nos. 184-188.

prior, chief official under the abbot in a monastery; also ruler of a priory or small congregation of monks dependent on a monastery.

regalia, sovereign rights, or rights of the crown; see no. 83, no. 103 and introduction.

_Schoeffen_, _scabini_, originally board of judges for each hundred-court, established as a judicial reform by Karl the Great; from these develop _Schoeffen_ of feudal domains and cities, as judges in the courts there.

_Schultheiss_, originally subordinate official of the count, who becomes presiding officer of lower public courts in Germany; name used also for presiding officer of court on territory of feudal lord, and in cities under jurisdiction of lord; see introductory note to section vii.

seneschal, see court officials.

senior, see no. 208, note.

serf, unfree tenant on a feudal estate, paying rent and services to the lord, bound to the soil, and subject to the jurisdiction of the lord's officials.

simony, use of money or secular influence to secure an ecclesiastical office; generally, securing of such an office by any means other than canonical election.

solidus, a gold or silver coin, shilling, containing 12 denarii; see no. 4, I, note 11.

suffragan bishop, one who has the right of voting for his archbishop.

synod, local council of bishopric or archbishopric summoned by the prelate.

vassal, one who has promised allegiance and fidelity to a superior, from whom he holds a fief.

villa, village or community of tenants and serfs on feudal domain, corresponding to English manor; the unit of organization of feudal estates.

wergeld, compensation for manslaughter, paid to the kindred of the slain man by slayer or his kindred; see no. 1, ch. 21, note 6, and no. 4, XLI, note 12.