Spencer Heath Archive

Item 608

Notes by Heath from James Kendall Hosmer, A Short History of Anglo-Saxon Freedom (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons 1890)

The folc-moot — all the people (except slaves)

“No functionary recognized except as elected by the natural voice.”

No one was king except by election by the freemen.

To lead armies herzogs or dukes were chosen, usually lords

or athelings. These often had a comitatus — body of

personal followers.

The North Germans (Angles, Saxons, Jutes) were, of all the Germanic tribes least touched by Roman influences.