The Dooms of Kings Hlothhære and Eadric, 673-686CE

These are the dooms which Hlothhære and Eadric, Kings of the Kentishmen, Established 673-686.

Hlothhære and Eadric, kings of the Kentishmen, augmented the laws, which their elders had before made, by these dooms, which hereafter say:

If any one's esne slay a man of an Eorl's degree, whoever it be, let the owner pay with three hundred shillings, give up the slayer, and add three manwyrths thereto.

If the slayer escape, let him add a fourth manwyrth, and let him prove, with good aewdas, that he could not obtain the slayer.

If any one's esne slay a freeman, whoever it be, let the owner pay with a hundred shillings, give up the slayer, and a second manwyrth thereto.

If the slayer escape, let the owner pay for him with two manwyrths; and let him prove, with good aewdas, that he could not obtain the slayer.

If a freeman steal a man; if the man return, and denounce him before the stermelda; let him clear himself, if he be able, and let him have the number of free aewda-men, and one with (himself) in the oath, each at the tun to which he belongs; if he be unable, let him pay. . .

If any Kentish-man buy a chattel in Lundenwic, let him then have two or three true men to witness, or the king's wic-reeve. If it be afterwards claimed of the man in Kent, let him then vouch the man who sold it to him to warranty, in the wic at the king's hall, if he know him, and can bring him to the warranty; if he can not do that, let him prove at the altar, with one of his witnesses or with the king's wic-reeve, that he bought the chattel openly in the wic, with his own property, and then let him be paid its worth; but if he can not prove that by lawful averment, let him give it up, and let the owner take possession of it.