and Ermingstrete;73 two of which extend along the length and two along the breadth of the kingdom. Another is that which the waters of certain rivers known by name possess, by the navigation of which provisions are carried from different places to cities or boroughs. This protection under the king's hand, on the day of his coronation, and under his letters, is to be observed under penalty of a fine : in like manner a breach of the protection on the four public roads and the principal rivers is to be deemed equal to assault. If any building is erected [on the said roads or rivers], the same shall be destroyed, and one half of the expenses of the repairs thereof shall be paid. And if a person shall knowingly have committed such breach, the fine is to be paid by the eighteen hundreds,75 in places subject to the Danish laws,76 and his body shall be at the king's mercy. According to the law of the English, his were,7 7 that is to say, the price of his ransom is to be the same as the manbote payable to the lords for those of their men who have been slain. The manbote, according to the Danish laws, for a villein or a sokeman, is twelve oras ;1 but for free men, throe marks. But manbote, according to the law of the English, is three marks to the king, and to tho archbishop, for the men who belong to them ; but to the bishop and to the earl of the same county, and to the king's seneschal it is twenty shilhngs ; and to other barons, ten shillings. Also, a recompense is to be paid to the relations of the person slain, or the duel is to be waged with them, as to which the English proverb says, ' Bige spere of side other bere.'80 Protection, however, upon the Four public Roads and tho before-mentioned rivers lies under a higher jurisdiction than what we have mentioned as to assault. Also, if a mill, or fishery, or any other work that is an obstruction to them is in preparation, the said works must be immediately destroyed, and the public 7 3 Extending from the south of England towards Carlisle. 75 76 See page 554. The ' Denelega,' or law established by the Danes for those parts inhabited by their own nation. 7 7 The ' were,' or ' wergeld,' was paid by a murderer, partly to the king for the loss of a subject, partly to the lord whose vassal he was, and partly to the next of kin of the person slain. 7 9 The " ora" was a Danish silver coin, probably about ten shillings in value. so .. B U y spear for your side, or wield it yourself," meaning, " Either a hire a person to wage the battle for you, or fight yourself."