Bosworth Toller's

Anglo-Saxon

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æ
þ

fóre-áþ

  • noun [ masculine ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
fóre-áþ, fór-áþ, es; m.
A fore-oath, an oath first taken; antejūrāmentum, præjūrāmentum, præjūrātio So called because it was that by which every accuser or plaintiff commenced his accusation or suit against the accused or defendant. To this the defendant opposed his own fóre-áþ, thereby pleading not guilty to the charge. The oaths both of plaintiff and defendant were supported by consacramentals, respecting the number of which see
  • L. H. 66, § 8
    • ;
  • Th. i. 569
    • :
v. also AÞ II, III. If the fóre-áþ of the accuser failed, the charge was quashed and the accused set at liberty
Show examples

  • Ofgá ǽlc man his tíhtlan mid fóreáþe

    let every man begin his charge with a fore-oath,

    • L. Ath. i. 23
      • ;
    • Th. i. 212, 5.

  • Agife ðone fóreáþ on feówer ciricum

    let him make his fore-oath in four churches,

    • L. Alf. pol. 33
      • ;
    • Th. i. 82, 7.

  • Ofgá his spræce mid fóráþe

    let him begin his suit with a fore-oath,

    • L. O. D. 6
      • ;
    • Th. i. 354, 31: L. Ath. iv. 2
      • ;
    • Th. i. 222, 16.

  • Ofgá man ánfealde láde mid ánfealdan fóráþe and þrýfealde láde mid þrýfealdan fóráþe

    one may proceed to a simple exculpation with a simple fore-oath and to a threefold exculpation with a threefold fore-oath

    • L. C. S. 22
      • ;
    • Th. i. 388, 15
      • ;
    cf. Schmid. Ges. der Angelsachsen, foráþ.
Linked entries
v.  fór-áþ.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “fóre-áþ.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/11295.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • fóre-áþ, n.

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