2 28, NAVESTOCK IX OLDEN DAYS ; 



It is remarkable that on the Continent there appear to be very 

 few subsisting traces of popular courts being held in the open air, 

 save and except in a few of the strongholds of Teutonic liberty. On 

 the contrary, in England, the ancient mode of assembling the suitors 

 of the Hundred "beneath the sky," continued to be retained with 

 remarkable steadiness, and " The Tale of the Wardstaffe " appears as a 

 strange and uncouth fragment of the earliest customs of the Teutons. 

 Thus we learn that the Free Field Court of the Abbey of Corbey 

 was in Pagan times under the supremacy of the Priests of the 

 Eresburg — the temple which contained the Irminsule or Pillar of 

 Irmin the Olympus of Teutonic belief. This court consisted of 

 sixteen persons. The Senior m.ember presided as Gerefa or Graff. 

 The Junior was called Frohner or Summoner. The remaining 

 fourteen acted as the Echevins or judges. 



The seat of judgment, "the King's Seat," was always on the 

 green sward ; the tribunal, the common fields ; and the purpose, 

 decisions relating to land. The King's seat was a plot sixteen feet 

 in length and breadth, and when the ground was first consecrated 

 the Frohner dug a grave in the centre, in which each of the free 

 Echevins threw a handful of ashes, a coal and a tile. 



It was also the very essence of the Court that it should be held 

 beneath the sky and by the light of the sun. All the ancient 

 Teutonic judicial assemblies were held in the open air, and some 

 relic of their solar worship may perhaps be traced in the usage and 

 in the language of this tribunal. 



When a criminal was to be judged or cause to be decided, the 

 Graff and the Free Echevins assembled round the King's seat, and 

 the Frohner having proclaimed silence opened the proceedings by 

 reciiing the following rhymes : 



"Sir Graff, with permission 



I beg you lo say 

 According to law, and without delay 



If I, your Knave 



Who judgment crave 

 With 3-our good grace 

 Upon the King's seat, this seat may place." 



To this address the Graff replied : 



"While the sun shines 'A'ith even light 

 Upon masters and Knaves I shall declare 

 The law of might, according to right, 

 Place the King's seat true and square ; 



