What Were Some Of The Different Types Of Crimes

What were some of the different types of crimes that could be committed?

Crimes in medieval times ranged from minor crimes to serious crimes. Minor offences someone could do might be be stealing firewood from the lord’s forest, nagging one’s husband, gossiping, cheating on customers, arguing, animals damaging crops and priests committing crimes. More major crimes included witchcraft, murder, treason (the crime of not being loyal to the monarch.), and heresy.

What was trial by ordeal? Was it reliable?

Before jury trials, people’s guilt or innocence was decided by things such as witnesses, battles or ordeals. Trial by ordeal was a way which people could let God decide what would happen. By using the two elements fire and water, they were able

Minor crimes committed like letting an animal damage another’s crops or stealing firewood would usually result in having to pay a fine to the lord or doing extra work for him. Another common punishment was to put the person in the stocks or pillory in the centre of the town. These punishments were carried out in public, so that they could show other people what would happen if they were to commit the same crime or a similar come. They were also done so that the victim would be humiliated, as they were often spat on and had rotten food thrown at them. It was ongoing shame for the victim if they were staying in the same community.

Priests who committed minor crimes were forced to wear a paper crown and ride backwards on a horse. They were then paraded out on the streets for the public to see. Shopkeepers also had to face punishments when selling items which were not up to standard. For example if brewer sold bad ale, they would be forced to drink some of it and the rest would be poured over their head. This would be done in the centre of the town for the public to see and for the victim to be

Church courts controlled people’s morals and their behaviour. Penalties for committing such crimes would included being fined and sometimes being whipped. Being whipped was done due to someone working on Sunday rather than devoting that time to prayer and attending church. The most serious crime which the church courts heard, was the crime of heresy (the offence of criticising the church’s teachings). The accused was normally tortured then burned to death after officially being guilty. Church courts also heard cases which involved fighting between husbands and wives. Women were the ones punished as the judges’ assumed that the women had tempted the men into wrongdoing. The men involved were not part of it at all.

People who committed minor crimes were usually taken to manor courts where punishments were decided. If required the accused was allowed to give evidence as to whether they had or had not committed the crime. If you were found guilty of committing a minor crime, you would usually be fined or would have to do extra work for the lord. Another punishment for people was to make them humiliated by pushing them in the stocks or pillory in the centre of the town (*see above in the ‘…punishments..’ question for a bit more