frankpledge

Meaning

Noun

• 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.
• A decener: a member of a tithing bound in frankpledge.
• The tithing itself.

Origin

• From Anglo-Latin franciplegium, a Latinisation 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.