Odd medieal English custom, can anyone back this up?

[alsih2o]

In my wife MBA class her teacher was talking about land transfer laws and said that in Olde England there was tradition for handing over land-

The owner took a small boy from the town, the buyer and a stick to the field. The owner would pick up some dirt say it belonged to the new owner and hand it over. Then they beat the kid with the stick. The point being that the kid would remember the day and events form the beating, therby being an accurate witness.

Has anyone ever heard of this/can anyone document this?

Thanks!

 

[adwyn]

I've never heard such a thing and I've sat through several hundred hours of Realtor training that have covered a wide variety of old practises (don't ask), but that wouldn't rule it out. If it was done I doubt it was widespread, as old english laws pertaining to land were well codified for the time.

 

[alsih2o]

I've never heard such a thing and I've sat through several hundred hours of Realtor training that have covered a wide variety of old practises (don't ask),....

OOh! I am asking, anyhting neat?

 

[shilsen]

Sounds like an urban...er, rural legend to me.

 

[morbiczer]

Well I can confirm that in medieval times you (or someone in your name) had to take your new land into actual physical possession before witnesses to finalize the sale or the land grant. At least that was the case here in Hungary, I don't think there would have been a big difference in this field in other countries. I never heard about beating small boys, but that doesn't have to mean anything. The story sounds believable.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

It could also be a monesterial legend.

The monks of Merry Olde England did not practice the kung-fu of their eastern fellows (such a pity). So they tended to be a bit imaginative. They were also the only guys to write things down.

The "tradition" of the lord of the land having the first go with a newly married woman is one of those historical tidbits that are subject to this kind of debate. The original sources are highly suspect and it's possible that it blew up into a legend/rumor. Of course, it's also possible that it did happen. Who's to say without a time machine?

Regardless, it makes for a good encounter in a game when the PCs are wandering down a road.

 

[Tinner]

Not for memory, but ...

I know my dad used to beat me with a stick to get me to work in the garden.
Sounds like a similar practice.

(And no, he didn't really beat me with a stick. I'm just being a wise-guy.)

 

[MrFilthyIke]

*scribbling notes furiously*

*muttering* must...beat...PCs...for....next....game.

Then they can own land.

 

[diaglo]

i can't confirm that one sorry.

the chimney sweep ones sure...

but not the one about land transfer.

 

[Coredump]

I would be willing to bet money that it was false. There is no reason to do it. And it wouldn't work very well anyway.

There are much easier ways to get much better witnesses.

Now, I am not going to say that it has *never happened*. But I would bet that it was not a practice.