from their
purpose by the generous conduct of Alfred. In 896 they again appeared.
This time they erected a work on the sea, twenty miles above London.
Alfred made a reconnaissance and closed up the river so that they found it
impossible to bring out their ships.(30) They therefore abandoned their
vessels and escaped across country, and "the men of London" writes the
chronicler, "brought away the ships, and all those which they could not
bring off they broke up, and those that were _stalworth_ they brought into
London."(31)

(M21)

The principle of each man becoming responsible to the Government for the
good behaviour of the neighbour, involved in the system of frankpledge
which Alfred established throughout the whole of his kingdom, subject to
his rule, was carried a step further by the citizens of London at a later
date. Under Athelstan (A.D. 925-940) we find them banding together and
forming an association for mutual defence of life and property, and thus
assisting the executive in the maintenance of law and order. A complete
code of ordinances, regulating this "frith" or peace gild, as it was
called, drawn up by the bishops and reeves of the burgh, and confirmed by
the members on oath, is still preserved to us.(32)

(M22)

The enactments are chiefly directed against thieves, the measures to be
taken to bring them to justice, and the penalties to be imposed on them,
the formation of a common fund for the pursuit of thieves, and for making
good to members any loss they may have sustained. So far, the gild
undertook duties of a public character, such as are found incorporated
among other laws of the kingdom, but it had, incidentally, also its social
and religious side. When the ruling members met in their gild-hall,(33)
which they did once a month, "if they could and had leisure," they enjoyed
a refection with ale-drinking or "byt-filling."

(M23)

Some writers see in the "frith-gild" of Athelstan's day, nothing more than
a mere "friendly society," meeting together once a month, to drink their
beer and consult about matters of mutual insurance and other topics of
more or less social and religious character.(34) But there is evidence to
show that the tie which united members of a "frith-gild" was stronger and
more solemn than any which binds the members of a friendly society or
voluntary association. The punishment of one who was guilty of breaking
his "frith" was practically banishment or death. Such a one, in
A