Legal Definitions - footgeld

Footgeld was a historical fine imposed under medieval English forest law. This penalty was levied on dog owners who failed to "expeditate" their dogs. Expeditating was a specific procedure, such as cutting out the ball of a dog's paw or removing its claws, designed to make the animal physically incapable of hunting deer and other game reserved for the monarch or nobility within royal forests.

To be considered "free" or "quit" of footgeld meant that a dog owner was exempt from the duty to expeditate their dog and, consequently, from the associated fine.

• Example 1: The Unexpeditated Hound
  Imagine a villager living on the edge of a vast royal forest in the 13th century. This villager owns a large, strong hound that, while primarily a guard dog, could easily chase deer. During a routine inspection by the king's forest warden, it is discovered that the villager's hound has not undergone the required expeditating procedure. As a result, the villager would be assessed a footgeld fine for failing to comply with the forest law, which aimed to protect the king's game.

• Example 2: Noble Privilege
  A powerful baron, highly favored by the king, is granted a special charter. This charter explicitly states that his personal pack of hunting dogs, used for legitimate noble hunts, are exempt from the expeditating requirement within certain designated areas of the royal forest. In this scenario, the baron would be considered "quit of footgeld" for these specific dogs, meaning he would not incur fines for keeping them unexpeditated as long as they remained within the permitted zones.

• Example 3: New Tenant's Duty
  A new tenant farmer moves into a smallholding adjacent to a lord's private hunting grounds. Upon settling in, the local reeve (an administrative official) informs the farmer that all dogs kept on the property must be expeditated to prevent any potential poaching of the lord's game. If the farmer neglects to perform this procedure on his working sheepdog, he would become liable for footgeld, illustrating the ongoing duty and potential financial penalty associated with the law.