rinding grain, for malt, and/or for fulling cloth.
The position of the sails of the windmills was changed by manual
labor when the direction of the wind changed.

Most men wore a knife because of the prevalence of murder and
robbery. It was an every day event for a murderer to flee to
sanctuary in a church, which would then be surrounded by his
pursuers while the coroner was summoned. Usually, the fugitive
would confess, pay compensation, and agree to leave the nation
permanently.

It had been long customary for the groom to endow his bride in
public at the church door. This was to keep her and her children
if he died first. If dower was not specified, it was understood to
be one-third of all lands and tenements. From 1246, priests taught
that betrothal and consummation constituted irrevocable marriage.

County courts were the center of decision-making regarding
judicial, fiscal, military, and general administrative matters.
The writs for the conservation of the peace, directing the taking
of the oath, the pursuit of malefactors, and the observance of
watch and ward, were proclaimed in full county court; attachments
were made in obedience to them in the county court. The county
offices were: sheriff, coroner, escheator, and constable or
bailiff. There were 28 sheriffs for 38 counties. The sheriff was
usually a substantial landholder and a knight who had been
prominent in the local court. He usually had a castle in which he
kept persons he arrested. He no longer bought his office and
collected certain rents for himself, but was a salaried political
appointee of the King. He employed a deputy or undersheriff, who
was an attorney, and clerks. If there was civil commotion or
contempt of royal authority, the sheriff had power to raise a
posse of armed men to restore order [posse comitatus: power of the
county]. The coroner watched the interests of the crown and had
duties in sudden deaths, treasure trove, and shipwreck cases.
There were about five coroners per county and they served for a
number of years. They were chosen by the county court. The
escheator was appointed annually by the Treasurer to administer
the Crown's rights in feudal land, which until 1242 had been the
responsibility of the sheriff. He was usually chosen from the
local gentry. The constable and bailiff operated at the hundred
and parish level to detect crime and keep the peace. They assisted
sheriffs and Justices of the Peace, organized watches for