The King's Peace, late 10th century

Pax (‘Peace’), anonymous, late 10th-century. Textus Roffensis, f. 38r. Translated from Old English and edited by Dr Christopher Monk.

This Old English version is unique to Textus Roffensis. This relates to physical boundaries or limits of the ‘King’s peace’.

Transcription

38r (select folio number to open facsimile)

_Ðus feor sceal beon þæs cinges grið, fram
his burhgeate þær he is sittende, on feo-
wer healfe his. Ð>æt< is iii mila 7 iii furlang, 7
iii æcera bræde, 7 ix fota, 7 ix scæftamunda,
7 ix berecorna.

Translation

See Translation Notes

Thus far shall be the king’s peace¹ from his city gate [or ‘gatehouse’] where he is seated, on its four sides. That is 3 miles, and 3 furlongs, and 3 acres, and 9 feet, and 9 spans, and 9 barleycorns.

Footnotes

1 OE grið, having the sense of a delimited area of sanctuary or protection.