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The Textus Roffensis: a medieval manuscript to rival Magna Carta
History Extra ^ | March 26, 2021 | Dr Chris Monk

Posted on 04/12/2021 2:01:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

The law-code of King Æthelberht of Kent (560–616) represents the creation of the Old English alphabet, which combines Latin characters and letters based on ancient runes. Issued around the year 600, Æthelberht’s Code is the first of three Kentish laws unique to the Textus Roffensis – the others being Hlothere and Eadric’s Code (c679–85), and Wihtraed’s Code (695).

It is the opening text of a ‘legal encyclopaedia’ of more than three dozen English laws (ranging from 600–1100) that constitute the bulk of the first part of the Textus Roffensis.

Æthelberht’s Code offers us insight into the system of compensation that probably prevailed in Kent at the start of the 7th century. Its opening words, ‘Godes feoh & ciricean XII gylde’ set out the level of restitution to be made by one who stole from ‘God’s property and the Church’s’, namely ‘a twelve-fold compensation’.

The law also includes an extensive list of payments to be made for acts of violence, including 50 shillings for gouging out an eye and six shillings for stabbing a man through his genitals.

(Excerpt) Read more at historyextra.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: aethelberhtofkent; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; kent; kingaethelberht; middleages; textusroffensis
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Rochester Cathedral | Textus Roffensis

Rochester Cathedral | Textus Roffensis

1 posted on 04/12/2021 2:01:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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Michael Wood on Textus Roffensis | Nov 21, 2017

Michael Wood on Textus Roffensis | Nov 21, 2017

2 posted on 04/12/2021 2:03:42 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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A book 100 years older than the Magna Carta goes digital
November 5 2014
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/a-book-100-years-older-than-the-magna-carta-goes-digital/


3 posted on 04/12/2021 2:04:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

4 posted on 04/12/2021 2:05:04 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Ouch. Penalties seem a bit “out of proportion” here with regard to the genitals.


5 posted on 04/12/2021 2:05:06 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (By stealing Trump's second term, the Left gets Trump for 8 more years instead of just four.)
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To: SunkenCiv

I kind of like the small fee for stabbing through a man’s genitals, versus that of an eye.


6 posted on 04/12/2021 2:06:33 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: SamAdams76; martin_fierro

Especially *after*. /rimshot

https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3950052/posts?page=5#5


7 posted on 04/12/2021 2:07:00 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Don’t mess with Textus!


8 posted on 04/12/2021 2:07:01 PM PDT by Ken H (Trump won.)
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To: Ken H

LOL!!!


9 posted on 04/12/2021 2:09:24 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: SunkenCiv

six shillings for stabbing a man through his genitals.

BWAHAHA! Iron cup.


10 posted on 04/12/2021 2:12:12 PM PDT by LeoTDB69
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To: SunkenCiv

Was going to reply they needed more soprano opera singers but it wasn’t until the early 1600s that opera’s came into popularity.


11 posted on 04/12/2021 2:13:17 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (By stealing Trump's second term, the Left gets Trump for 8 more years instead of just four.)
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To: SunkenCiv
...”six shillings for stabbing a man through his genitals.“

The fact they felt the need to prescribe a fine for this specific violation tells me it was not an uncommon occurrence.

12 posted on 04/12/2021 2:17:40 PM PDT by fidelis (Zonie and USAF Cold Warrior)
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To: SamAdams76

Suddenly I understand the codpiece.


13 posted on 04/12/2021 2:20:32 PM PDT by ameribbean expat (Attention! All persons having the corona virus...please report to the nearest IRS office. Thank you.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Sterne also supplied ‘pi**ing’ for mingendo, though that is arguably a somewhat amplified rendering of the Latin.

A clue here for those puzzling over the word "retromingent" that's been making the rounds lately.

14 posted on 04/12/2021 2:26:24 PM PDT by Yardstick
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To: SunkenCiv

At the time this was transcribed French was the language of the English Royal Court, so it’s interesting they were preserving legal texts written in Old English.


15 posted on 04/12/2021 2:29:46 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: Yardstick
Susie Dent explained retromingent with a reference to, hmm, I think it was rabbits.

16 posted on 04/12/2021 3:03:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: colorado tanker
There was (and still is) a hunkering down against the brutal Norman usurpation and occupation.

17 posted on 04/12/2021 3:07:19 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: Yardstick

About time index 1:20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLuvkr4VXac


18 posted on 04/12/2021 3:08:30 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: ameribbean expat

LOL!


19 posted on 04/12/2021 3:08:37 PM PDT by Bernard Marx
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To: SunkenCiv; Allegra; Conservative4Life; CSM; dayglored; dixiechick2000; Dutchgirl; Eaker; ezoeni; ...
six shillings for stabbing a man through his genitals.

♀☹☠☣☢★☆
MANGLED
GENITALS
PING

☆★☢☣☠☹♂

20 posted on 04/12/2021 3:17:57 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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