FRANKPLED JE. The frankpledge system provided that all men not in the household of some great man, who would be re sponsible for their good behaviour and appearance in court in case of necessity, should be in frankpledge or tithing. The f rank pledge was an association of men, generally twelve in number, the members of which were mutually responsible for the production of any one of them in court. If a man fled rather than pay for his crime the frankpledge of which he was a member had to pay. This idea of keeping the peace by a system of mutual responsi bility goes back to very remote times. In the 12th century the greater efficiency of the central administration enabled the system to be regularly enforced. Originally the frankpledge was confined to free men, the unfree were left to their lord. By the time records began to be kept the system embraced all but persons of estab lished position. The word frankpledge was not used uniformly all over England to describe these associations. In some parts they were known as tithings or decennce. The custom ruling the arrangements of the frankpledges and tithings, too, varied con siderably. Sometimes the frankpledge was known by the name of the chief member, the chief pledge or the tithing man. Some times it was known by the name of the village or hamlet. It is possible that the density of population had much to do with de ciding the local practice. The View of Frankpledge was a bi annual enquiry as to the proper observance of the law with regard to frankpledges; an enquiry whether everyone was in frankpledge, whether the frankpledges were of an adequate size, and were per forming their duty. Originally the sheriff held the view of frank pledge in the shire court twice a year. It is clear that he made the view an occasion for extortion and in the 1217 issue of Magna Carta the holding of this court is regulated. In the 13th century this franchise, the view of frankpledge, was often in private hands. This did not prevent the law with regard to frankpledges being enforced, since the franchise was a valuable one and it paid the lords of the courts to conduct the enquiry.
See W. A. Morris, The Frankpledge System (191o). (D. M. S.)