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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Englishry, presentment of
Read a random definition: Voting Rights Act
A quick definition of Englishry, presentment of:
Englishry, presentment of: When someone is murdered in medieval England, the people living nearby had to prove that they were not responsible for the murder. This was called the presentment of Englishry. If they couldn't prove their innocence, they had to pay a fine.
A more thorough explanation:
The Presentment of Englishry is a legal term used in medieval England to determine whether a murder victim was English or not. If the victim was not English, the accused could avoid punishment by proving their innocence through a process called "wager of law."
For example, if a Norman was murdered in England, the accused could claim that the victim was not English and therefore they should not be punished. The accused would then have to find 12 people who would swear under oath that they believed the victim was not English. This was called the "wager of law."
The Presentment of Englishry was abolished in 1340, but the concept of proving innocence through the wager of law continued until the 17th century.
Overall, the Presentment of Englishry was a way to determine whether a murder victim was English or not and to ensure that only English people were protected by the law.