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Simple English definitions for legal terms
decennary
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A quick definition of decennary:
A decennary is a historical term used to describe a town or district that consisted of ten freeholding families. Each freeholder, known as a decennarius, was responsible for producing any wrongdoer living in the decennary. This was part of a system called frankpledge, where people were responsible for each other's good behavior. The decennary was created by King Alfred to prevent disorder and crime in England. It was made up of ten families who lived together and were sureties for each other. If anyone committed a crime in their district, they were responsible for bringing the offender to justice.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A decennary is a town or district that consists of ten freeholding families. In history, a freeholder of the decennary (a decennarius) was bound by frankpledge to produce any wrongdoer living in the decennary. It is also known as decenary or decenna.
Example: In England, the civil division of the territory is into counties, of those counties into hundreds, of those hundreds into tithings or towns. The tithings or towns were composed of ten freeholders, with their families, and were called decennaries. These freeholders were sureties or free pledges to the king for the good behavior of each other, and if any offense was committed in their district, they were bound to have the offender forthcoming.
This example illustrates how decennaries were used in England as a way to prevent rapines and disorders in the realm. The freeholders of the decennary were responsible for each other's behavior and had to produce any wrongdoer living in the decennary. This system helped maintain law and order in the community.