leet
1
9.9
A local court in medieval England that judged small crimes and local matters
- noun
- /liːt/
- Archaic
:
corte manorial
- The villagers gathered at the leet to resolve disputes and discuss local matters.
Examples
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Minor crimes were often judged by the leet rather than higher courts.
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Records from the old leet provide insight into medieval community life.
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The village held a leet to resolve local disputes.
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In medieval times, a leet was essential for community governance.
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In medieval England, disputes were often settled in a leet, a local court within the manor.
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The villagers gathered at the leet to discuss local matters and settle minor offenses.
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During the leet, the lord would hear cases and offer justice to his subjects.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The older word leet refers to a small local court or meeting in medieval England, from old legal words for a local gathering. So a leet was the community court that handled small disputes and village business.