frankpledge
A form of collective suretyship and punishment under English law among the members of…A form of collective suretyship and punishment under English law among the members of a tithing.
Meaning
4 senses(historical)A form of collective suretyship and punishment under English law among the members of a tithing.
Any group so similarly answerable for the conduct of all its members and liable for collective punishment.
(historical)A decener: a member of a tithing bound in frankpledge.
(historical, uncommon)The tithing itself.
Origin
From Anglo-Latin franciplegium, a Latinization of Anglo-Norman frauncplege ("free pledge")From Anglo-Latin franciplegium, a Latinization of Anglo-Norman frauncplege ("free pledge"), a mistranslation of Old English friðborh ("pledge of peace"), which had the corrupted form friborh, which led to the Modern English term friborg, as if it were *freoborh ("free pledge"). See also friborg, which refers to the predecessor of frankpledge.
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