Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Fledwite: A fine that a person had to pay if they ran away from the law and then surrendered themselves to the king. It was also the right to hold court and take a fine for someone who beat or struck another person. Sometimes, people could pay the fledwite to be free from punishment for running away.
Fledwite (fled-wIt) is a historical term that refers to:
It is also spelled as fleduite and flighwite.
For example, if a fugitive surrendered to the monarch, they could be granted a fledwite, which would discharge them from the fine they were supposed to pay for their offense.
Another example is when a fugitive paid a fine to obtain their freedom, which was called a fledwite.
The third example is when someone had the right to hold court and take a fine for the offenses of beating and striking, which was also known as fledwite.
These examples illustrate the different meanings of fledwite and how it was used in historical contexts.