A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 217 



The barbarous cuftom of exempting 

 from capital punifhment, even the moft 

 atrocious afiaffin, by payment of a fine, 

 was retained much longer in this coun- 

 try than in any part of Britain. It was 

 pra6tifed by the Lord Marchers in tlie 

 fifteenth century, and continued infome 

 parts of Merionethfhire till the latter 

 end of the reign of Henry VIII. when 

 it was entirely abolifhed.* 



The Welfh had, prior to the reign of 

 Jlenry V. a cuftom, called the Ass ACM, 

 by which it was neceiTary to have the 

 oath of three hundred men, before a 

 perfon could be cleared who was accufed 

 of any crime. Before it's abolition by 

 this monarch, an EnglHhman was liable 

 to continue in gaol for life, as it feeins 

 impoflible for one of our hated nation to 

 -procure even a far lefs number of com- 

 purgators than this flrange law required 



* Pennant's Tour, I. 288. 



for 



