In medieval England, childwite (also childwit, childwyte; lit. 'child-punishment') was a fine levied by the feudal lord on the reputed father when an unmarried unfree woman gave birth to a child. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the following use of the term from 1672: "Within the Mannor of Writtle in Com.
In medieval England, childwite (also childwit, childwyte; lit. 'child-punishment') was a fine levied by the feudal lord on the reputed father when an unmarried unfree woman gave birth to a child. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the following use of the term from 1672: "Within the Mannor of Writtle in Com.
Source: Wikipedia "Childwite" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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