frankpledge

American  

[frangk-plej] / ˈfræŋkˌplɛdʒ /

noun

Old English Law.

1. a system of dividing a community into tithings or groups of ten men, each member of which was responsible for the conduct of the other members of his group and for the assurance that a member charged with a breach of the law would be produced at court.

2. a member of a tithing.

3. the tithing itself.

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frankpledge British  

/ ˈfræŋkˌplɛdʒ /

noun

1. the corporate responsibility of members of a tithing for the good behaviour of each other

2. a member of a tithing

3. a tithing itself

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Etymology

Origin of frankpledge

1250–1300; Middle English fra ( u ) nkplegge < Anglo-French frauncplege. See frank ¹, pledge

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

frankpledge

This court was held twice a year, but in 1217 it was ordered that the view of frankpledge should only be taken once—at Michaelmas.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 1 "Franciscans" to "French Language" by Various

Sir F. Palgrave has asserted that the view of frankpledge was unknown in that part of the country which had been included in the kingdom of Northumbria.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 1 "Franciscans" to "French Language" by Various

About this time these societies, each having its headman, were called frithborhs, or peace-borhs, and the Normans translated the Anglo-Saxon word by frankpledge.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 1 "Franciscans" to "French Language" by Various

But the history of the frankpledge proper begins not earlier than the time of the Norman Conquest.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 1 "Franciscans" to "French Language" by Various

The servants of the Crown were not, as now, bound in frankpledge for each other.

From The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 3 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron