This page contains an exact transcript of the Old English Law of Æthelberht, or domaſ þe æðelbirht, as written on folios 1r-3v in the 12th century manuscript Textus Roffensis. A search-friendly version using modern English letters and numerals is also included. The exact transcript maintains all punctuation, page structure, letter variants, whitespace, and newlines, but excludes font size and color. Unreadable sections are indicated by an underline _ and interlinear text is included as footnotes.
In the search-friendly version, the letters Æ, æ, Ð, ð, ᵹ, ſ, Þ, þ, v, ƿ, ẏ are replaced with AE, ae, TH, th, g, s, TH, th, u, w, y respectively, and abbreviation strokes (ᵹ‾, ł, ū) with trailing hyphens (g-, l-, u-). All formatting is removed and replaced with whitespace, and newlines are inserted before each non-consecutive capital letter. No effort is made to correct spelling inconsistencies or join word segments together. A reconstruction and translation into modern English from 2002 has been archived here.
In the search-friendly version, the letters Æ, æ, Ð, ð, ᵹ, ſ, Þ, þ, v, ƿ, ẏ are replaced with AE, ae, TH, th, g, s, TH, th, u, w, y respectively, and abbreviation strokes (ᵹ‾, ł, ū) with trailing hyphens (g-, l-, u-). All formatting is removed and replaced with whitespace, and newlines are inserted before each non-consecutive capital letter. No effort is made to correct spelling inconsistencies or join word segments together. A reconstruction and translation into modern English from 2002 has been archived here.
Exact transcript
Þ_s sẏndon þa domaſ þe æðelbirht cẏninᵹasette on agvstinus dæge .
GODES FEOH . ⁊ CI
ricean . xii . ᵹẏlde . Biſcopeſ feoh .
xi . ᵹẏlde . Preoſteſ feoh . ix . ᵹẏlde .
Diaconeſ feoh . vi . ᵹẏlde . Clero
ceſ feoh . iii . ᵹẏlde . Ciric friþ .
ii . ᵹẏlde . M_ friþ . ii . ᵹẏlde . Gif cẏninᵹ hiſ
leode to him ᵹehateþ ⁊ heom mon þær ẏfel ᵹedo .
ii . bote . ⁊ cẏninᵹe . L . ſcillinᵹa . Gif cẏninᵹ æt
manneſ ham drincæþ . ⁊ ðær man lẏſƿæſ hƿæt
ᵹedo . tƿi bote ᵹebete . Gif friᵹman cẏninᵹe
ſtele . ix . ᵹẏlde for ᵹẏlde . Gif incẏninᵹeſ tu
ne man mannan of slea . L . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man
friᵹne mannan of sleahþ . cẏninᵹe . L . ſcilł . to
drihtin beaᵹe . Gif cẏninᵹeſ ambih_ ſmið oþþe
laadrinc mannan of slehð _uman leod ᵹelde
forᵹelde . Cẏninᵹeſ mund bẏrd . L . ſcillinᵹa . Gif
friᵹman freum ſtelþ . iii . ᵹebete . ⁊ cẏninᵹ aᵹe ꝥ
ƿite ⁊ ealle þa æhtan . Gif man ƿið cẏninᵹeſ mæᵹ
denman ᵹeliᵹeþ . L . ſcillinᵹa ᵹebete . Gif hio ᵹrin
dende þeoƿa ſio . xxv . ſcillinᵹa ᵹebete . Sio þridde
xii . ſcillinᵹaſ . Cẏninᵹeſ fedeſl . xx . ſcillinᵹa
forᵹelde . Gif on eorleſ tune man mannan
of ſlæhþ . xii . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif ƿið eorleſ
birele man ᵹeliᵹeþ . xii . scilł ᵹebete . Ceorleſ mund
bẏrd . vi scillinᵹaſ . Gif ƿið ceorleſ birelan man
ᵹe liᵹeþ . vi scillinᵹū ᵹebete . Aet þære oþere ðeo
ƿa[1] . L . ſcætta . Aet þare þriddan . xxx . scætta . Gif
man in manneſ tun æreſt ᵹe irneþ . vi scillinᵹū
ᵹebete . Se þe æfter irneþ . iii . scillinᵹaſ . Sidðan ᵹe
hƿẏlc scillinᵹ . Gif man mannan ƿæpnum bebẏreþ
ðær ceaſ ƿeorð . ⁊ man næniᵹ ẏfel ne ᵹedeþ . vi . ſcillin
ᵹum ᵹebete . Gif ƿeᵹ reaf ſẏ ᵹedon . vi . ſcillinᵹum
ᵹebete . Gif man þone man of slæhð . xx . scillinᵹū
ᵹebete. Gif man mannan of slæhð . medume leod
ᵹeld . c . scillinᵹa ᵹebete . Gif man mannan of slæhð
æt openum ᵹræfe . xx . scillinᵹa forᵹelde . ⁊ in . xL .
nihta ealne leo‿d forᵹelde . Gif bana of lande
ᵹe ƿiteþ ða maᵹaſ healfne leod forᵹelden . Gif man
friᵹne man ᵹeb_ . xx . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man
ceorlæſ hlaf ætan of slæð . vi . ſcillinᵹum ᵹebete .
Gif læt of slæð þone ſeleſtan . Lxxx[2] . for ᵹelde .
Gif þana oþerne of slæhð . Lx . ſcillinᵹum forᵹelde .
Ðane þriddan . xL . scillinᵹ‾. forᵹelden . Gif friman
edor brecþe ᵹedeþ . vi . ſcillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif man
inne feoh ᵹenimeþ . ſeman . iii . ᵹelde ᵹebete . Gif
fri man edor ᵹeᵹan ᵹeð . iiii . scillinᵹum ᵹebete .
Gif man mannan of slea aᵹene scætte . ⁊ unfacne feo
ᵹe hƿilce ᵹelde . Gif fri man ƿið fries mannes ƿif
ᵹeliᵹeþ . hiſ ƿer ͡ᵹelde abicᵹe . ⁊ oðer ƿif his aᵹenū
scætte beᵹete . ⁊ ðæm oðrum æt þam ᵹebrenᵹe .
Gif man r_ht ham ſcẏld þurh stinð . mid ƿeorðe for
ᵹelde . Gif feax fanᵹ ᵹeƿeorð . L . sceatta to bote .
Gif baneſ blice ƿeorðeþ . iii . scillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif
baneſ bite ƿeorð . iiii . scillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif sio
uterre hion ᵹebrocen ƿeorðeþ . x . scillinᵹum ᵹe
bete . Gif butu sien . xx . ſcillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif
eaxle ᵹelæmed ƿeorþeð . xxx . scilł ᵹebete . Gif
oþer eare naƿiht ᵹehereð . xxv . scilł ᵹebete .
Gif eare of ƿeorð aslaᵹen . xii . scilł ᵹebete . Gif
eare ƿirel ƿeorðeþ . iii . scilł ᵹebete . Gif eare
sceard ƿeorðeþ . vi . scilł ᵹebete . Gif eaᵹe of ƿe
orð . L . scillinᵹ ᵹebete . Gif muð oþþe eaᵹe ƿoh
ƿeorðeþ . xii . scilł ᵹebete . Gif naſu ðẏrel ƿeorð
viiii . scillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif hit sio an hleore
iii . scilł ᵹebete . Gif butu ðẏrele sien . vi . scilł
ᵹebete . Gif naſu ælcor sceard ƿeorð ᵹehƿẏlc .
vi . scilł ᵹebete . Gif ðirel ƿeorþ . vi . scilł ᵹebete .
Se þe cinban for slæhð . mid . xx . scillinᵹum for
ᵹelde . Æt þam feoƿer to ðum fẏreſtum æt
ᵹe hƿẏlcum . vi . scillinᵹaſ . Se toþ se þanne
bi ſtandeþ . iiii . scilł . Se þe ðonne bi ðam standeþ .
iii . scilł . And þon̄ ſiþþan ᵹehƿẏlc ſcillinᵹ . Gif
spræc aƿẏrd ƿeorþ . xii . scillinᵹaſ . Gif ƿido ba
ne ᵹebroced ƿeorðeþ . vi . scilł ᵹebete . Se þe earm
þurh ſtinð . vi . scillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gi_ earm
forbrocen ƿeorð . vi . scilł ᵹebete . Gif þuman of
aſlæhð . xx . scilł . Gif ðuman næᵹl of ƿeorðeþ .
iii . scilł ᵹebete . Gif man ſcẏte finᵹer of aſlæhð .
viiii . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man middel finᵹer of aſlæhð .
iiii . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man ᵹold finᵹer of aſlæhð .
vi . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man þone lẏtlan finᵹer of
aſlæhð . xi . ſcilł ᵹebete . Æt þam neᵹlum ᵹe
hƿẏlcum . ſcillinᵹ . Ær þam læreſtan ƿlite ƿam
me . iii . ſcillinᵹas . And æt þam maran . vi . ſcilł .
Gif man oþerne mid fẏſte in naſo slæhð . iii . ſcilł .
Gif dẏnt sie . scillinᵹ . Gif he heahre handa dẏn
teſ on fehð . ſcilł forᵹelde . Gif dẏnt ſƿeart sie
buton ƿædum . xxx . scætta ᵹebete . Gif hit sie
binnan ƿædum . ᵹehƿẏlc . xx . ſcætta ᵹebete .
Gif hrif ƿund ƿeorðeþ . xii . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif he
ƿurh ðirel ƿeorðeþ . xx . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man
ᵹeᵹemed ƿeorðeþ . xxx . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man
cear ƿund sie . xxx . scilł ᵹebete . Gif man ᵹe
kẏndelice lim aƿẏrdeþ . þrẏmleud ᵹeldum hine
man forᵹelde . Gif he þurh stinð . vi . ſcilł ᵹebete .
Gif man inbeſtinð . vi . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif þeoh ᵹebro
cen ƿeorðeþ . xii . ſcillinᵹum ᵹebete . Gif he healt
ƿeorð . þær motan freond ſeman . Gif rib forbro
cen ƿeorð . iii . ſcilł ᵹebete . Gif man þeoh ðurh ſtinᵹþ
stice ᵹehƿilce . vi . ſcillinᵹas . Gẏf[3] ofer ẏnce scillinᵹ .
æt tƿam ẏncum tƿeᵹen . ofer þrẏ . iii . ſclł . Gif
ƿælt ƿund ƿeorðeþ . iii . scillinᵹas ᵹebete . Gif fot
of ƿeorðeþ . L . scillinᵹum forᵹelden . Gif ſeo mẏ
cle ta of ƿeorðeþ . x . sclł forᵹelden . Æt þam o
ðrum taum ᵹehƿilcum healf ᵹelde . eal ſƿa æt þam
finᵹrum ẏſ cƿiden . Gif þare mẏcclan taan næᵹl
of ƿeorþeð . xxx . scætta tobote . Æt þam oþrum
ᵹehƿilcum . x . scættas ᵹebete . Gif fri ƿif locbore
leſ ƿæſ hƿæt ᵹe deþ . xxx . sclł ᵹebete . Mæᵹþ
bot . sẏ sƿa fƿiᵹeſ manneſ . Mund þare bet ſtan
ƿiduƿan eorlcundre . L . scillinᵹa ᵹebete . Ðare
oþre . xx . sclł . ðare þriddan . xii . sclł . Þare
feorðan . vi . sclł . Gif man ƿiduƿan unaᵹne ᵹe
nimeþ . ii . ᵹelde ſeomund sẏ . Gif man mæᵹþ
ᵹebiᵹeð ceapi ᵹeceapod sẏ . ᵹif hit unfacne is .
ᵹif hit þonne facne is . ef þær æt ham ᵹebren
ᵹe ⁊ him man his ſcæt aᵹefe . Gif hio cƿic bearn
ᵹe bẏreþ healfne scæt aᵹe . ᵹif ceorl ær sƿẏlteþ .
Gif mid bearnum buᵹan ƿille . healfne ſcæt aᵹe . Gif ceorl
aᵹan ƿile ſƿa an bearn . Gif hio bearn neᵹebẏreþ fæ
derinᵹ maᵹaſ fioh aᵹan . ⁊ morᵹen ᵹẏfe . Gif man
mæᵹþman nede ᵹenimeþ . ðam aᵹende . L . ſcillinᵹa . ⁊
eft æt þam aᵹende . sinne ƿillan æt ᵹebicᵹe . Gif hio
oþrum mæn insceat beƿẏddod sẏ . xx . scillinᵹa ᵹe
bete . Gif ᵹæn ᵹanᵹ ᵹeƿeorðeþ . xxxv . ſcilł . ⁊ cẏninᵹe
xv . ſcillinᵹas . Gif man mid esnes cƿẏnan ᵹeliᵹeþ
be cƿicum ceorle . ii . ᵹebete . Gif ense[4] of slea unſẏn
niᵹne . ealne ƿeorðe forᵹelde . Gif esneſ eaᵹe ⁊ foot
of ƿeorðeþ aſlaᵹen . ealne ƿeorðe hine forᵹelde .
Gif man manneſ esne ᵹebindeþ . vi . ſclł ᵹebete . Ðeo
ƿæſ ƿeᵹ reaf se . iii . scillinᵹas . Gif þeoƿ ſteleþ .
ii . ᵹelde ᵹebete .
Search-friendly version
TH_s syndon tha domas the aethelbirht cyning asette on agustinus daegeGODES FEOH CI ricean 12 gylde
Biscopes feoh 11 gylde
Preostes feoh 9 gylde
Diacones feoh 6 gylde
Clero ces feoh 3 gylde
Ciric frith 2 gylde
M_ frith 2 gylde
Gif cyning his leode to him gehateth heom mon thaer yfel gedo 2 bote cyninge 50 scillinga
Gif cyning aet mannes ham drincaeth thaer man lyswaes hwaet gedo twi bote gebete
Gif frigman cyninge stele 9 gylde for gylde
Gif incyninges tu ne man mannan of slea 50 scill- gebete
Gif man frigne mannan of sleahth cyninge 50 scill- to drihtin beage
Gif cyninges ambih_ smith oththe laadrinc mannan of slehth _uman leod gelde forgelde
Cyninges mund byrd 50 scillinga
Gif frigman freum stelth 3 gebete cyning age th- wite ealle tha aehtan
Gif man with cyninges maeg denman geligeth 50 scillinga gebete
Gif hio grin dende theowa sio 25 scillinga gebete
Sio thridde 12 scillingas
Cyninges fedesl 20 scillinga forgelde
Gif on eorles tune man mannan of slaehth 12 scill- gebete
Gif with eorles birele man geligeth 12 scill- gebete
Ceorles mund byrd 6 scillingas
Gif with ceorles birelan man ge ligeth 6 scillingu- gebete
Aet thaere othere theo wa 50 scaetta
Aet thare thriddan 30 scaetta
Gif man in mannes tun aerest ge irneth 6 scillingu- gebete
Se the aefter irneth 3 scillingas
Sidthan ge hwylc scilling
Gif man mannan waepnum bebyreth thaer ceas weorth man naenig yfel ne gedeth 6 scillin gum gebete
Gif weg reaf sy gedon 6 scillingum gebete
Gif man thone man of slaehth 20 scillingu- gebete
Gif man mannan of slaehth medume leod geld 100 scillinga gebete
Gif man mannan of slaehth aet openum graefe 20 scillinga forgelde in 40 nihta ealne leo d forgelde
Gif bana of lande ge witeth tha magas healfne leod forgelden
Gif man frigne man geb_ 20 scill- gebete
Gif man ceorlaes hlaf aetan of slaeth 6 scillingum gebete
Gif laet of slaeth thone selestan 80 for gelde
Gif thana otherne of slaehth 60 scillingum forgelde
THane thriddan 40 scilling- forgelden
Gif friman edor brecthe gedeth 6 scillingum gebete
Gif man inne feoh genimeth seman 3 gelde gebete
Gif fri man edor gegan geth 4 scillingum gebete
Gif man mannan of slea agene scaette unfacne feo ge hwilce gelde
Gif fri man with fries mannes wif geligeth his wer gelde abicge other wif his agenu- scaette begete thaem othrum aet tham gebrenge
Gif man r_ht ham scyld thurh stinth mid weorthe for gelde
Gif feax fang geweorth 50 sceatta to bote
Gif banes blice weortheth 3 scillingum gebete
Gif banes bite weorth 4 scillingum gebete
Gif sio uterre hion gebrocen weortheth 10 scillingum ge bete
Gif butu sien 20 scillingum gebete
Gif eaxle gelaemed weortheth 30 scill- gebete
Gif other eare nawiht gehereth 25 scill- gebete
Gif eare of weorth aslagen 12 scill- gebete
Gif eare wirel weortheth 3 scill- gebete
Gif eare sceard weortheth 6 scill- gebete
Gif eage of we orth 50 scilling gebete
Gif muth oththe eage woh weortheth 12 scill- gebete
Gif nasu thyrel weorth 9 scillingum gebete
Gif hit sio an hleore 3 scill- gebete
Gif butu thyrele sien 6 scill- gebete
Gif nasu aelcor sceard weorth gehwylc 6 scill- gebete
Gif thirel weorth 6 scill- gebete
Se the cinban for slaehth mid 20 scillingum for gelde
AEt tham feower to thum fyrestum aet ge hwylcum 6 scillingas
Se toth se thanne bi standeth 4 scill-
Se the thonne bi tham standeth 3 scill-
And thon- siththan gehwylc scilling
Gif spraec awyrd weorth 12 scillingas
Gif wido ba ne gebroced weortheth 6 scill- gebete
Se the earm thurh stinth 6 scillingum gebete
Gi_ earm forbrocen weorth 6 scill- gebete
Gif thuman of aslaehth 20 scill-
Gif thuman naegl of weortheth 3 scill- gebete
Gif man scyte finger of aslaehth 9 scill- gebete
Gif man middel finger of aslaehth 4 scill- gebete
Gif man gold finger of aslaehth 6 scill- gebete
Gif man thone lytlan finger of aslaehth 11 scill- gebete
AEt tham neglum ge hwylcum scilling
AEr tham laerestan wlite wam me 3 scillingas
And aet tham maran 6 scill-
Gif man otherne mid fyste in naso slaehth 3 scill-
Gif dynt sie scilling
Gif he heahre handa dyn tes on fehth scill- forgelde
Gif dynt sweart sie buton waedum 30 scaetta gebete
Gif hit sie binnan waedum gehwylc 20 scaetta gebete
Gif hrif wund weortheth 12 scill- gebete
Gif he wurh thirel weortheth 20 scill- gebete
Gif man gegemed weortheth 30 scill- gebete
Gif man cear wund sie 30 scill- gebete
Gif man ge kyndelice lim awyrdeth thrymleud geldum hine man forgelde
Gif he thurh stinth 6 scill- gebete
Gif man inbestinth 6 scill- gebete
Gif theoh gebro cen weortheth 12 scillingum gebete
Gif he healt weorth thaer motan freond seman
Gif rib forbro cen weorth 3 scill- gebete
Gif man theoh thurh stingth stice gehwilce 6 scillingas
Gyf ofer ynce scilling aet twam yncum twegen ofer thry 3 scll-
Gif waelt wund weortheth 3 scillingas gebete
Gif fot of weortheth 50 scillingum forgelden
Gif seo my cle ta of weortheth 10 scll- forgelden
AEt tham o thrum taum gehwilcum healf gelde eal swa aet tham fingrum ys cwiden
Gif thare mycclan taan naegl of weortheth 30 scaetta tobote
AEt tham othrum gehwilcum 10 scaettas gebete
Gif fri wif locbore les waes hwaet ge deth 30 scll- gebete
Maegth bot sy swa fwiges mannes
Mund thare bet stan widuwan eorlcundre 50 scillinga gebete
THare othre 20 scll- thare thriddan 12 scll-
THare feorthan 6 scll-
Gif man widuwan unagne ge nimeth 2 gelde seomund sy
Gif man maegth gebigeth ceapi geceapod sy gif hit unfacne is gif hit thonne facne is ef thaer aet ham gebren ge him man his scaet agefe
Gif hio cwic bearn ge byreth healfne scaet age gif ceorl aer swylteth
Gif mid bearnum bugan wille healfne scaet age
Gif ceorl agan wile swa an bearn
Gif hio bearn negebyreth fae dering magas fioh agan morgen gyfe
Gif man maegthman nede genimeth tham agende 50 scillinga eft aet tham agende sinne willan aet gebicge
Gif hio othrum maen insceat bewyddod sy 20 scillinga ge bete
Gif gaen gang geweortheth 35 scill- cyninge 15 scillingas
Gif man mid esnes cwynan geligeth be cwicum ceorle 2 gebete
Gif ense of slea unsyn nigne ealne weorthe forgelde
Gif esnes eage foot of weortheth aslagen ealne weorthe hine forgelde
Gif man mannes esne gebindeth 6 scll- gebete
THeo waes weg reaf se 3 scillingas
Gif theow steleth 2 gelde gebete
Notes
1. ^ n
2. ^ ſclł
3. ^ e
4. ^ oþerne
Archived on 2020-07-25.