Description
Book SynopsisThis important study seeks to assemble the evidence, drawn from a variety of sources in Old English and Latin, to convey a picture of slaves and slavery in England, viewed against the background of English society as a whole.At last a major topic in early medieval English history has found its author, who deals with it comprehensively and systematically.ECONOMIC HISTORY REVIEW "A landmark teatment...immensely enriches the debate about early medieval working classes." SPECULUM Slaves were part of the fabric of English society throughout the Anglo-Saxon era and the twelfth century, but as the base of the social pyramid, they have left no known written records;there are, however, extensive references to them throughout the documents and writings of the period. This important study seeks to assemble the evidence, drawn from a variety of sources in Old English and Latin, to convey a picture of slaves and slavery in England, viewed against the background of English society as a whole. An extensive appendix on the vernacular terminology of slavery reveals the concepts of enslavement to be embedded in the religiousimagery of the period. DAVID PELTERET is Senior Research Fellow, Department of History, King's College London.
Trade ReviewA major contribution to the history of Anglo-Saxon England... will be considered the standard work on the subject for many years. * ALBION *
A very thorough and useful mass of material directly relevant to the theme of slavery and its disappearance from the English social scene. * SOUTHERN HISTORY *
Table of ContentsIntroduction; the linguistic evidence on slavery; "The Work Is Hard Because I Am Not Free" - slaves and slavery in the literary sources; "Free Annually One Penal Slave" - laws and penitentials; "After Their Lifetime Half The Men Are To Be Free" - the evidence of the wills; "For The Sake Of His Soul" - manumission-documents; "With The Land And The Men" - charters, surveys, and custumals; "Lies, Damned Lies, And Statistics" - Domesday Book.
