Assize of Northampton
Encyclopedia
The Assize of Northampton, largely based on the Assize of Clarendon
of 1166, is among a series of measures taken by King Henry II of England
that solidified the rights of the knightly tenants and made all possession of land subject to and guaranteed by royal law.
The assize is believed to have been passed at a council held in Northampton
in January 1176. The assize contained severe penalties for various offences and gave the justices substantial powers at the expense of the sheriff
s. The assize is connected with the reorganisation of itinerant justices and contains instructions for six groups of justices appointed to tour the country. Later clauses deal with the introduction of important new legislation, chiefly the king's right to have certain cases brought into his court.
The assize was a strong response to a crime-wave then being experienced and gave additional powers to the authorities by creating new offences that a judge could examine, including arson and forgery, and set down new and severe punishments that could be handed down, including the removal of an offender's right hand.
The Assize of Northampton is also the first official document to contain information on the possessory assizes of mort d'ancestor and novel disseisin.
Assize of Clarendon
The Assize of Clarendon was an 1166 act of Henry II of England that began the transformation of English law from such systems for deciding the prevailing party in a case as trial by ordeal or trial by battle to an evidentiary model, in which evidence and inspection was made by laymen...
of 1166, is among a series of measures taken by King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
that solidified the rights of the knightly tenants and made all possession of land subject to and guaranteed by royal law.
The assize is believed to have been passed at a council held in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
in January 1176. The assize contained severe penalties for various offences and gave the justices substantial powers at the expense of the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
s. The assize is connected with the reorganisation of itinerant justices and contains instructions for six groups of justices appointed to tour the country. Later clauses deal with the introduction of important new legislation, chiefly the king's right to have certain cases brought into his court.
The assize was a strong response to a crime-wave then being experienced and gave additional powers to the authorities by creating new offences that a judge could examine, including arson and forgery, and set down new and severe punishments that could be handed down, including the removal of an offender's right hand.
The Assize of Northampton is also the first official document to contain information on the possessory assizes of mort d'ancestor and novel disseisin.