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Early Modern Britain 1450/1500-1750
- during this time Englands the population rose from 2- 6 million
- Most people lived in rural areas or small towns and worked in agriculture
- The problem was worse in towns where there were more opputunities for crime
and it was harder to control
- The problem was worse in towns where there were more opputunities for crime
and it was harder to control
- Population growth = higher food prices and unemployment
- This was also a time where great social and
economic changes led to an increase in
poverty
- As in the Middle Ages about 80% of crime was petty theft, although crimes such as pick
pocketing were becoming more common as towns and cities grew
- As a result some 'new crimes' became more comon
- As a result some 'new crimes' became more comon
- As in the Middle Ages about 80% of crime was petty theft, although crimes such as pick
pocketing were becoming more common as towns and cities grew
- Most people lived in rural areas or small towns and worked in agriculture
- Church courts
- Dealt with priests, monks and nuns and those
who refused to pay a tenth of their income to
the church
- Dealt with priests, monks and nuns and those
who refused to pay a tenth of their income to
the church
- Manor courts
- Dealt with ordinary villagers in the countryside and made them keep to the
rules set by the ordinary landowners
- The most likely to be fined and punished were unfree farmers called villeins
- Though the court did protect them from being made to do too
much work or being fined too much work
- Though the court did protect them from being made to do too
much work or being fined too much work
- Dealt with ordinary villagers in the countryside and made them keep to the
rules set by the ordinary landowners
- Royal courts
- Dealt with all serious crimes and all types of people
- Divided according to their seriousness:
- Murder, Arson, Rape,
Treason, Robbery; punished
by hanging
- Assault, Selling goods at wrong
prices etc; usually punished by
fines of money
- Murder, Arson, Rape,
Treason, Robbery; punished
by hanging
- Divided according to their seriousness:
- Only free men could appear in the Royal courts
- Women could only go to a court to accuse someone who had: Murdered her husband
(but only if he had died in her arms), Attacked her and this led to the loss of an unborn
child or Raped her
- Women could only go to a court to accuse someone who had: Murdered her husband
(but only if he had died in her arms), Attacked her and this led to the loss of an unborn
child or Raped her
- Dealt with all serious crimes and all types of people
- Prisons
- Not until 1576 that local judges were
required to build houses of correction in
which beggars could be kept
- Medieval prisons were mostly for holding people awaiting trial
- Not until 1576 that local judges were
required to build houses of correction in
which beggars could be kept
- Prevention of crimes
- Making a group of 10 people over the age of 12 (a tithing) responsible for each others actions
- If a crime was committed they had to hunt for the criminal (hue and cry)
- If a crime was committed they had to hunt for the criminal (hue and cry)
- Deterring people by threat of punishment
- Church teachings about right and wrong
- Making a group of 10 people over the age of 12 (a tithing) responsible for each others actions
- Reasons for medieval crime waves
- Rising in unemployment
- Rising prices
- Weak government
- Corrupt judges
- Rising in unemployment
- In court,2 methods to decide guilt of the accused:
- Witness of neighbours
- people had to swear that the accused had a past of
good behaviour ?
- people had to swear that the accused had a past of
good behaviour ?
- Trial by jury
- A group of local people looked at the
evidence, listened to witnesses and
discussed the character of the person
- A group of local people looked at the
evidence, listened to witnesses and
discussed the character of the person
- Witness of neighbours
- No police force still
- By 1400 landowners were appointed Justices of the peace t o hold local courts at least 4 times a year to deal
with less serious offences
- By 1400 landowners were appointed Justices of the peace t o hold local courts at least 4 times a year to deal
with less serious offences
- Changes
- Little change in law enforcement since Middle ages except watchmen and thief- takers
- Little change in punishment except increased use of death penalty
- Little change in law enforcement since Middle ages except watchmen and thief- takers
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