The Church and crime in the early thirteenth century Flashcards

All 7 cards in this deck

What was sanctuary?

The right of an accused criminal to claim protection in a church for 40 days, then choose between standing trial and leaving the country (abjuring the realm).

What was Benefit of Clergy?

The right of members of the clergy accused of a crime to be tried in Church courts, which gave much lighter punishments and never the death penalty.

What was trial by ordeal?

A religious trial run by a priest, used when a court could not decide guilt; it was believed God would show whether the accused was guilty or innocent.

Give the reasons trial by ordeal ended.

The Church's attitude changed and in 1215 clergy were forbidden to take part; Henry III abolished it in 1219 as trial by jury became more common.

How did an accused person prove they could claim Benefit of Clergy?

By reading aloud a passage from the Bible. Because few people could read, many non-clergy learned the passage by heart so they could be tried in the more lenient Church courts.

Name two types of trial by ordeal and how the result was judged.

Any two of: hot iron or hot water (innocent if the burn healed cleanly); cold water (innocent if the accused sank); consecrated bread, used only for priests (guilty if they choked).

Why were Sanctuary and Benefit of Clergy significant in the early thirteenth century?

They showed that the Church ran its own system of justice alongside the king's courts, so some accused people could escape the normal punishments.