Collins Medieval Britain history for Year 7

1. Unit 3.5 The Medieval Crime and
Punishment
By Ms. Farida

2. Words to learn
Terminology Definition
Stocks A punishment for petty criminals
Trial by ordeal A trial with painful test where the will of God will decide the
verdict
Trial by jury A trial by 12 ppl consider the evidence and decide on the
verdict
Common law To standardise common punishment throughout the Country
by King Henry

3. Local manorial court
• Local manorial
court are for
common ppl
where petty
crime were judge
• Case took place
about 15 minutes
judge by their
lord and no
lawyer service
• The types of
crime included
the theft,
drunkenness or
brawling

4. Trial by ordeal
• It was a painful test
where the will of the god
will decide wether the
person is guilty or not
• This include the
defendant plunged his
arm into hot boiling
water , holding hot iron
rod , the arm or hand
then wrapped in a cloth,
if the wound healed in a
week later, he’s not
guilty.

5. Trial by ordeal
• In other event, defendant will be thrown into a river/lake and if he floats, he is
guilty and if he sank , he is innocent (he might be dead from drowning)

6. punishment – Mutilation
• Cutting off body parts /relevant to the crime
• Thief would have his hand cut off
• Those who raised false rumours will get ears cyt
off

7. Punishment - branding
• Burning the
criminal skin
with hot iron to
create scar
• He will then be
remembered
for the crime
he committed
• It would come
in particular
shape like “M”
meaning evil
doer

8. Punishment- Stocks
• Petty criminals
were often places
in the
stocks(wooden
board which their
hands and legs are
locked)
• They were placed
in the town square
to be seen and
taunted by
everyone
• Townsppl will
throw rotten food
or rubbish to them

9. Punishment-Ducking stools
• A wooden chair
attached to a lever
used to submerge a
criminal under water
• It was used against
women for adultery,
prostitution and
arguing with their
family and neighbours ,
the crime is known as
“scolding”
• All these punishments
are design to humiliate
and shame the convict,
its also to discourage
others from doing the
same crime.

10. Henry II and Common law
• Why Medieval courts
need common law?
• Its because punishment
were not consistent and
sometimes judgement
made was wrong
• Who introduce
common law?
• It was King Henry II who
reformed English legal
system in 1154-1189

11. Trial by Jury
• Henry II introduces trial
by Jury system where it
took 12 ppl to decide
wether the defendant
was guilty or not
• The law was made
common throughout the
country
• This practice is still used
today in America and
England
• Anyway trial by Jury was
made outlawed in 1215
by a pope due to
rebellion uprising

12. The end