WITAN or WITENAGEMOT, the council of the Anglo Saxon kings. It was in no sense a popular assembly, and its corn position was determined by the king's pleasure. He would natur ally wish to consult his greater nobles and his bishops, and such men are normally found in attendance at his councils. The eccle siastical element was sometimes reinforced by the abbots of im portant monasteries. The king's household officers were usually present, and the council generally includes a varying number of thegns without specific duties at court. The general character of the council underwent little change throughout the Old English period, though it inevitably tended to become a larger body as the king of Wessex developed into a king of all England. Its essential duty was to advise the king on all matters touching which he chose to ask its opinion. It attested his grants of land to churches or laymen, it consented to his issue of new laws or new statements of ancient custom, and it helped him to deal with rebels and per sons suspected of disaffection. King Alfred asked its advice about
the testamentary disposition of his private inheritance. In late Old English times the witan had ceremonial functions. It attended the king when he received ambassadors, and in the iith century, if not earlier, joined him in public feasting at Easter, Whitsuntide, and Christmas, commonly meeting for this purpose at Winchester, Westminster and Gloucester. At other times the king would summon his witan to attend him wherever he might choose. Im portant meetings of king and council were held in royal manors such as Wantage in Berkshire, Caine in Wiltshire and Andover in Hampshire. In its composition and duties the witan closely re sembled its successor, the Commune Concilium of the Anglo Norman kings; the fundamental difference between these bodies being the feudal tie which connected the baronial councillors of the Norman time with the king. (F. M. S.)