Hundred Court of Hillfort
Current Sheriff: None
Current Bailiff: Marchlew
Honored members of the Court
- Tisbury, held by Cadry
- Hindon, held by
- Chillmark, held by
- Ludwell, held by Cyn
- Charlton, held by Arian
- Sutton, held by Jonaleth
- Swallowcliffe, held by
- Ansty, held by Ren
- Wardour (old roman fort, now in complete ruins)
The Court
Each month, the warriors of Hillfort gather for the hundred court, to solve local problems and to judge the commoners for their crimes. Serious crimes are sent to the Sheriff of Llud’s Hall, as none of the warriors present holds the right to judge High Crimes. Not all warriors have time to gather, in these cases they usually send a trusted man in their stead.
The Court meets every four weeks and handles most local business dealings, such as authorizing a peasant transfer of animals or land, and local justice like brawling, petty theft, boundary disputes, and whose cow is whose.
The commoners pay a ha’pence here and a farthing there in court, which adds up to a tidy sum. This is divided between the king, the court for its maintenance, and whoever holds the right of court profits (traditionally, the lord of Wardour). A court bailiff, appointed by the lord of the hundred, oversees it. The bailiff is assisted by ten or twelve “trusted men of the people, who know the Ancient Law and the land.” If there is ever a question of what has happened in the past then these men are summoned to recite their knowledge, whether it is recent memory or handed down from antiquity.
The court holds ten chairs, nine for the local lords, and one for the Lord of the hundred. The lord of Hillfort hundred is also the Lord of Salisbury, and is usually represented by his Bailiff. Currently, the chair of Wardour is vacant since no heir was left after the last lord died. The Lord of Salisbury has not yet appointed a new lord of these lands, so the chair remains empty. This causes some disturbance, since without the lord present votes can be tied.
Old customs
Several old customs and rules are abided in the old Hillfort court, most of the rules are considered either sacred or at least very important by everyone. And the Lords of the court know that if they break them, they risk angering the commoners of the entire hundred.
The Hill must not taste Blood during the court
This is very much a variant of the same rule that is abided in most hundred courts. Do not spill blood during the court. All conflicts, punishments and fights are to be taken after all conflicts have been resolved.
The old ways remain
If a question of history or what was ever is brought to court, a gathering of “trusted old men and women” is brought to the Hill. Their word of what was is considered fact, even above the written word if it is ever written down.
The Lord is the Land, the Land is the Lord
Each lord holds the right of Jurisdiction in their own lands. This means that the right to police the commoners, and most social and economic functions. The court is usually used in cases where the criminals or affairs are committed across the borders. The Court can overrule a lord, but they very seldom do. This is tantamount to calling the lord incompetent, and is a good way to start wars of feuds.
Thieves are hung
If ever a thief is caught red-handed, they are to be hung on the hill. In most other hundreds, this can be avoided if the thief can pay fines and compensation to the victim. But by the old laws of the Hillfort hundred, thieves are to be hung. If there is not enough evidence, the thief is either let go, or sent to the Sheriff.
The court is above the land
The court holds the right to judge the other lords in the hundred if need be. Most of these crimes are solved by paying compensation to the “victim”, traditionally in beer, wine or furs. Any man of honor in the hundred can bring any such accusation to the Court. The court needs to be in majority to rule a punishment, of course excluding the accused. Common offenses that are brought up are breaches of honor or etiquette. Higher crimes are always transferred to the Sheriff. It is customary to call a representant from the Lord of the Hundred if the case is especially noteworthy, the Bailiff is not enough.
Trial by combat
Each man with honor, can call upon the right to trial by combat. The result of the fight is always above whatever the Court ruled.
Trial by the word of the Lord
Each lord that is part of the hundred court, holds a special right to call the Lord of the Hundred to the court to judge him personally if he feels the Court cannot be impartial.
Advowson is held by the Hundred Court
A rather unique old custom in Hillfort, is that the ruler of the Abbeys and churches in the hundred is chosen by the Court. This right is usually held by individual lords, but in Hillfort the Court holds this right. Usually, the local lord is left to choose the man in his own villages by himself. The Court usually only bothers with Abbeys or in important cases.