# Childwite

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Childwite.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childwite
> Source revision: 1322459229
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Fine paid to the lord in medieval England}}
{{One source|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2022}}
In medieval England, {{lang|en-emodeng|'''childwite'''}} (or {{lang|en-emodeng|'''childwit'''}}) was a [fine](/source/Fine_(penalty)) levied by the [feudal lord](/source/Feudalism_in_England) on the reputed father when an unmarried [unfree woman](/source/Serfdom) gave birth to a child. The ''[Oxford English Dictionary](/source/Oxford_English_Dictionary)'' cites the following use of the term from 1672: {{lang|en-emodeng|"Within the Mannor of Writtle in Com. Essex, every reputed Father of a Bastard gotten there, pays to the Lord for a Fine three shillings four pence, and the custome is there also called Childwit."}}<ref name = OED">{{Cite OED |childwite |access-date= 20 November 2022}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== See also ==
* [Manorialism](/source/Manorialism)

Category:Fines (penalties)
Category:Slavery in England
Category:Society of England
Category:Feudalism in England
Category:English legal terminology
Category:English family law

{{England-law-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Childwite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childwite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childwite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.