Imagining the Anglo-Saxon Past: The Search for Anglo-Saxon Paganism and Anglo-Saxon Trial by Jury

Abstract

Part 1 The search for Anglo-Saxon paganism: romantic background English branch of German tree Christianity puts an end to folk-poetry Half-veiled remains of pagan poetry English and German views on conversion of English J.M. Kemble views of founders seen through writings of their lesser contemporaries English views of late-19th century and after stock views disintegrating Old English poems and finding Germanic antiquities in them - disintegration, search for Germanic antiquities gods themselves - appearances veiled by Christianity, overt appearances Wyrd -event or fate, norn or fortune, early interpretations of wyrd, Wyrd in Leipzig PhD thesis, Germanic fatalism accommodated in Anglo-Saxon Christianity, Germanic fatalism - a key to Anglo-Saxon melancholy, Wyrd - mark of heathenism, fate and providence, metod, more recent pagan interpretations of wyrd, Wyrd in Solomon and Saturn, current views on wyrd conclusion. Part 2 Anglo-Saxon trial by jury - trial by jury and how later ages perceive its origins perhaps in Anglo-Saxon England: jury - this of our liberties, sacred and inviolate delivering truth not same as judging guilt and innocence a matter of conscience England's great and glorious revolution (1688), its debt to Henry II's revival of ancient institutions fostering liberty trial by jury not a proto-Germanic nor perhaps an Anglo-Saxon institution, but what of 12 leading thegns of wapentake? why promulgated at Wantage? 12 of wapentake probably an institution for Danelaw only trial by jury perceived as the palladium of our liberties.

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