Frankpledge

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Friborg \Fri"borg\, Friborgh \Fri"borgh\, n. [AS. fri[eth]borh,
     lit., peace pledge; fri[eth] peace + borh, borg, pledge, akin
     to E. borrow. The first part of the word was confused with
     free, the last part, with borough.] (Old Eng. Law)
     The pledge and tithing, afterwards called by the Normans
     {frankpledge}. See {Frankpledge}. [Written also {friburgh}


     and {fribourg}.] --Burril.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Frankpledge \Frank"pledge`\, n. [Frank free + pledge.] (O. Eng.
     Law)
     (a) A pledge or surety for the good behavior of freemen, --
         each freeman who was a member of an ancient decennary,
         tithing, or friborg, in England, being a pledge for the
         good conduct of the others, for the preservation of the
         public peace; a free surety.
     (b) The tithing itself. --Bouvier.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               The servants of the crown were not, as now, bound
               in frankpledge for each other.       --Macaulay.
         [1913 Webster]