2i8 THE MANOR COURT
or the carrying away of other's crops. Then again, civil disputes
between tenants were decided at the Court. Both sides were
allowed to state their case, and then a verdict was given, either
by a jury, or by all the Court. Breach of contract, or failure to
fulfil promises and obligations were considered and damages
assessed. Personal matters such as slander also came before
the Manor Court and wounded pride claimed and sometimes
received a monetary solace. Not only the tenant or his family,
but even his beasts and crops could be cheapened by unfair
criticism, and men were fined for vilifying (vilipendelanf) a man's
pig1, or for defaming his corn2, so that he lost the sale of it.
Thirdly we reach the pleas which are strictly matters touching
the King's peace and the like, and are fully enumerated in the
Articles of the View.3 Strictly: for they include a number of
offences which we have already seen are commonly dealt with by
the lord as part of his seigneurial jurisdiction. Besides these,
however, the tithing men or sworn jury are asked to make their
presentments concerning almost every kind of wrongdoing
from brewing against the assize to open murder. Personal in-
juries, infringements of the highway, the receiving and har-
bouring of strangers, the use of false weights and measures, the
haunting of taverns by night, the snaring of game, the clipping
of coins: all are matters the jurors have to consider and report
upon to the court so that justice may be done.
Since "justice is great profit" we may well ask, "What was
the court worth to a lord?" Apart from the prestige it gave him,
and the importance of having some machinery whereby trans-
gressors could be punished, the court had a definite financial
side to it, more especially when it included the ordinary business
of a leet within its jurisdiction. In general the amerciament (fine)
was at the discretion of the lord or his officer. Nelson's Lex
Maneriorum says: "An amerciament is called ndserieordia in
Latin, because it ought to be assessed mercifully, and afterwards
to be moderated by the affeerment of the equals of him who
committed the offence."4 This modification is of great import-
1 Norf. Antiq. Misc. i, 144. 2 Selden Soc. iv, 130.
8 See above, p. 209.
4 Op. cit. 26. There is a distinction made between the amerciaments of the
Court Baron and the fines of the Leet Court in the Law Books, A fine was
directly imposed by the lord and could not be affeered.