criminals and vagrants at the village level, and raised the hue
and cry along the highway and from village to village in pursuit
of offenders who had committed felony or robbery. The constables
also kept the royal castles; they recruited, fed, and commanded
the castle garrison.

County knights served sheriffs, coroners, escheators, and justices
on special royal commissions of gaol-delivery. They sat in
judgment in the county court at its monthly meetings, attended the
two great annual assemblies when the lord, knights and freeholders
of the county gathered to meet the itinerant justices who came
escorted by the sheriff and weapon bearers. They served on the
committees which reviewed the presentments of the hundreds and
village, and carried the record of the county court to Westminster
when summoned there by the kings' justices. They served on the
grand assize. As elected representatives of their fellow knights
of the county, they assessed any taxes due from each hundred.
Election might be by nomination by the sheriff from a fixed list,
by choice, or in rotation. They investigated and reported on local
abuses and grievances. The King's justices and council often
called on them to answer questions put to them on oath. In the
villages, humbler freeholders and sokemen were elected to assess
the village taxes. Six villeins answered for the village's
offenses before the royal itinerant justice.

Reading and writing in the English language was taught. The use of
English ceased to be a mark of vulgarity. In 1258 the first
governmental document was issued in English as well as in Latin
and French. Latin started falling into disuse. Boys of noblemen
were taught reading, writing, Latin, a musical instrument,
athletics, riding, and gentlemanly conduct. Girls were taught
reading, writing, music, dancing, and perhaps household nursing
and first aid, spinning, embroidery, and gardening. Girls of high
social position were also taught riding and hawking. Grammar
schools taught, in Latin, grammar, dialectic (ascertaining word
meaning by looking at its origin, its sound (e.g. soft or harsh),
its power (e.g. robust and strong sound), its inflection, and its
order; and avoiding obscurity and ambiguity in statements), and
rhetoric [art of public speaking, oratory, and debate]. The
teacher possessed the only complete copy of the Latin text, and
most of the school work was done orally. Though books were few and
precious, the students read