Medieval Crimes and Punishments Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary and concepts from lecture notes on medieval crimes and punishments.

Felonies

Serious crimes in the Middle Ages, punishable by severe penalties, including the death penalty for stealing goods worth more than 12d.

Petty crimes

Less serious crimes in the Middle Ages, such as stealing goods worth less than 12d, getting into debt, or causing limited harm to a person or property.

Outlaw gangs

Gangs of robbers who ambushed travelers, robbed houses, and sometimes killed people. Many were outlaws on the run and could be pardoned if they joined the king's army.

Heresy

A crime dealt with by the Church, involving the spread of false Christian beliefs and challenging the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

Scolding

The use of offensive and abusive speech in public, primarily applied to women, and punished in local courts.

Vagrancy

Wandering the country in search of work after the Black Death, made a crime by laws requiring able-bodied men to stay and work in their home village.

Medieval Homicides

Often stemmed from simple arguments due to close working conditions in strip farming and lack of effective medical care.

Coroner

All sudden deaths were reported to them. They viewed and measured the body and recorded any wounds