By the way,
Folwren, Eodwine's words need to be changed post #367 in one small regard: In place of “You should have come to me before you broke ground and planted crops. It might have saved trouble.” - please put this: "You should have gone to the King or his man before you broke ground and planted crops. It would have saved trouble." Also, please change this: "Later today I will have made up my mind." to "Later today I will have more questions." - Thanks!
****************
Eodwine and Saeryn took their seats again (it had been a most interesting discussion between the two of them regarding tenancy rights), and Thornden called the court to order with a thump on the floor of the staff Eodwine had procured for him recenlty. The two farmers stood before the Eorl.
The first freeholder, Edelfrid, who tenanted the disputed land, stood on Eodwine's and Saeryn's right; the second, Radweld, who had planted the crops, stood to their left.
"Edelfrid," Eodwine began, "did you pay tenancy to the King for the field while is lay fallow the second year?"
"That I did, lord."
"Did you know that Radweld was planting crops in your field?"
"I knew, lord."
"Why did you not speak of it to your shire reave or bring it to the king?"
"Lord, am I on trial, or this man's misdeed?"
"You are not on trial. But I need to know as much as I can before I make a ruling. Answer the question."
"Lord, we have been unfriends for many years, and I admit that I hoped to win at his cost."
"That is ill-thought by you, Edelfrid."
"Yes, lord, I am sorry."
"Your unfriendship should be redressed, but the matter of the crops must be ruled on first. Why did you leave the land fallow the extra year, Edelfrid?"
"I plan to buy horses, lord, and I need a field for pasturing."
"That field is not big enough for horse pasturage!" Radweld scowled.
"You, neighbor," Edelfrid sneered, "have no right telling me what my land is good for!"
Thornden raised the staff and brought it down hard three times. The three knocks on the floor got the two opponents' attention. "There will be order in my lord's court," Thornden said smoothly.
"Thank you, Thornden," Eodwine smiled. "Here is my thought on the matter. Radweld, you did wrongfully to plant on a field not in your tenancy. For that you must pay. If Edelfrid was preparing his land for pasturage, you have stolen not only the use of his land for a crop year, but you have stolen time Edelfrid needed to turn the land to pasturage, and if Edelfrid is to hold to his plans to buy horses, he will have to pasture them elsewhere, paying rent for the right."
"But-" Radweld interrupted.
"I am not finished, Radweld!"
The freeholder subsided.
"On the other hand, Edelfrid allowed Radweld to do all the work on the field, with the hopes of gaining at Radweld's cost. This is wrongful. There is no law against it, but I would not have such things be the way things are done in my Emnet. Therefore, I rule thusly. First, that Radweld must pay a fine to me of two tenths of the worth of the crop for his wrongful use of Edelfrid's land. Second, that Radweld pay to Edelfrid double the yearly rate for rental of pasturage for two grown horses. Third, that these fines covering Radweld's wrongdoing, he is ruled as tenant of Edelfrid for the planted field, and will pay to Edelfrid a normal tenant rate for one year's use of the field, and may keep all that is left, for the sake of the work he has put into the land."
Neither Edelfrid nor Radweld looked completely happy, nor crestfallen. To Eodwine's mind, that was as it should be.
*************
Well? What do y'all think?