hand, a thane who thieved could pay a higher fine than a ceorl who did likewise. Men were willing to die for the lord and to support their 'comitatus'; their warrior band. Evidence of this behavior (though it may be more a literary ideal than an actual social practice), can be observed in the story, made famous in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for 755, of Cynewulf and Cyneheard, in which the followers of a defeated king decided to fight to the death rather than be reconciled after the death of their lord.

This emphasis on social standing affected all parts of the Anglo-Saxon world. The courts, for example did not attempt to discover the facts in a case; instead, in any dispute it was up to each party topolitical tools designed to demonstrate standards of good conduct rather than act as criteria for subsequent legal judgment.

Although not themselves sources of law, Anglo-Saxon charters are a most valuable historical source for tracing the actual legal practices of the various Anglo-Saxon communities. A charter was a written document from a king or other authority confirming a grant either of land or some other valuable right. Their prevalence in the Anglo-Saxon state is a sign of sophistication. They were frequently appealed to and relied upon in litigation. Making grants and confirming those made by others was a major way in which Anglo-Saxon kings demonstrated their authority.

The royal council or witan played a central but limited role in the Anglo-Saxon period. The main feature of the system was its high