Wite

In Saxon law. A punishment, pain, penalty, mulct, or criminal fine. Gowell. It was the fine paid to the magistrate, as distinguished from "were," the compensation paid to the injured persons.

An atonement among the early lish would go around with his proposed laws Germans by a wrong-doer to the king or the to the several folk-mote, getting the separate community.. It is said to be the germ of the consent of each, but in the tenth century the idea that wrong is not simply the affair of kings bethought them of summoning the the injured individual, and is therefore a moots of the various shires to meet them at condition precedent to the growth of a crimi- some convenient central spot, as Oxford or nal law. 2 Holdsw. Ilist. E. L. 37. See 1 London, and what this collective moot or Sel. Essays, Anglo-Amer. L. H. 100. My cel-gemot agreed to need not be confirmed WITENA-GEMOT (spelled, also, wittena- again, since men from every shire were presgemot, gewitena-gemote; from the Saxon ent. The My cel-gemot was the Magnum Conwita, a wise man, gemote, assembly, — the cilium of the Normans and developed into assembly of wise men). The king’s council the High Courts and Parliaments of the thirof wise men. There is said to be more au- teenth century. 1 Social England 136. See thority for this short form (Witan) than for Stevens, Sources of the Constitution 62. Witena-Gemot (not Witenfi gemot). Pollock, WITH STRONG HAND. In Pleading. A in 1 Sel. Essays in Anglo-Amer. L. H. 90 (14 technical phrase indispensable in describing

wit, wyte.

In Saxon law. A fine for an offense; distinguished from were, which was paid to the injured person or his relatives, in being paid to the crown or the magistrate; an amercement, an immunity from amercement

sax. A penalty; payment, therefrom.