How Is Medieval Law Relevant Today

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Medieval Law Medieval laws are very different from today's laws. In medieval times laws were different and had a much harsher punishment in some cases. Not only were punishments worse in the medieval times, but people were subjected to the embarrassment of public punishment. Punishments in medieval times are harsher than modern punishments. Laws in medieval times were more harsh than modern laws. During the 5th through the 15th century known as the Medieval times there was trauma. There was ordeal by fire, water and combat. Ordeal by fire is when a person was accused of a crime and had to hold a scorching metal bar, then would walk three paces, after three days if the wound had started to heal up then the person was innocent. If the wound had not healed up then, they were guilty. Ordeal by water is …show more content…

In medieval times treason was no joking matter the laws against it were strict and the punishments for it were harsh. A person who was guilty of high treason could face a punishment of being hung then cut down while they were still alive after they were chopped down, they were beheaded and their body cut into four quarters which would be sent to different cities throughout the area to be put on public display. Whenever someone was caught stealing in the medieval ages there was no mercy given to them by the court, in some cases a thief's hands would be cut off so they would no longer be able to steal. When someone was caught illegally hunting in royal parks their punishment was for their ears to be chopped off. In a case of which a woman had committed murder she would have been strangled and then burned as punishment. Vagrancy was also a punishable crime as it was against the law to be homeless or jobless and refuse to work(Thorpe, JR). To conclude some medieval laws and punishments were just plain crazy and