98 Histo7'y of the English Landed Interest. 



troublous times, a storeliouse for the valuables of the com- 

 munity on week days, and a public record office at all times. 



To women was entrusted the care of the future country 

 gentleman's earlier infancy. On the death of their father his 

 children remained with their mother, who, if not otherwise pro- 

 vided for, was allowed annually six shillings, a cow in summer, 

 and an ox in winter, towards the maintenance of each one. The 

 frumstol or head-seat in the house was, however, occupied by 

 the father's relations until the boy repossessed it on coming of 

 age. One of King Ina's laws provided for the fostering of a 

 foundling at the rate of six shillings for the first year, twelve 

 the next, and thirty the third ; after that, it varied in propor- 

 tion to his " white," or personal beauty. Infancy terminated 

 the seventh year, and childhood began the eighth. The child's 

 education consisted of exercises in muscular agility; and he 

 was encouraged to compete in wrestling and other rough sports 

 with his compeers. The age between childhood and manhood 

 was termed " cnihthade," or knighthood. At fifteen the boy 

 could select his profession, and the girl, at seventeen, could 

 choose a religious life ; after the age of fifteen she might marry 

 whom she pleased. The cleric was the national schoolmaster, 

 and no doubt all youths of a studious bent were placed under 

 his charge. Those who had selected the pursuit of arms were 

 engaged in out-door exercises, of which horsemanship and 

 racing were a principal feature. Other amusements of the 

 age were, dicing, jugglery, glee-singing, dancing, tumbling, 

 bear-baiting, and hunting. Hares, boars, reindeer, and goats 

 were chased by hounds or driven into nets, feathered game was 

 captured with the falcon, net, gin, lime, trap, or by whistling, 

 and the agriculturist found his interests so much injured by 

 the large hunting parties, that he sought and often obtained 

 the royal consent to the exclusion of his lands from sporting 

 trespass. The veneration of the Teuton for woman is strik- 

 ingly illustrated by the Anglo-Saxon marriage laws. A 

 bridegroom was compelled to produce sureties and a pledge 

 before the marriage ceremony could be legally performed. His 

 morgen gift corresponded with the modern marriage settle- 

 ment ; and a wife who had brought forth children alive and 



