The Roots of the Mountains, page 279 by William Morris
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st; nor with wain, nor boat, nor way-leading; nor with fire nor water; nor with any world's wealth. Thus let him who hath cast out man be cast out by man. Now is hallowed-in the Folk-mote of the Men of the Dale and the Sheepcotes and the Woodlands.'
Therewith he waved his sword again toward the four airts, and went and sat down in his place. But presently he arose again, and said:
'Now if man hath aught to say against man, and claimeth boot of any, or would lay guilt on any man's head, let him come forth and declare it; and the judges shall be named, and the case shall be tried this afternoon or to-morrow. Yet first I shall tell you that I, the Alderman of the Dalesmen, doomed one Iron-face of the House of the Face to pay a double fine, for that he drew a sword at the Gate-thing of Burgstead with the intent to break the peace thereof. Thou, Green-sleeve, bring forth the peace-breaker's fine, that Iron-face may lay the same on the Altar.'
Then came forth a man from the men of the Face bearing a bag, and he brought it to Iron-face, who went up to the Altar and poured forth weighed gold from the bag thereon, and said:
'Warden of the Dale, come thou and weigh it!'
'Nay,' quoth the Warden, 'it needeth not, no man here doubteth thee, Alderman Iron-face.'
A murmur of yeasay went up, and none had a word to say against the Alderman, but they praised him rather: also men were eager to hear of the war, and the fellowship, and to be done with these petty matters. Then the Alderman rose again and said:
'Hath any man a grief against any other of the Kindreds of the Dale, or the Sheepcotes, or the Woodlands?'
None answered or stirred; so after he had waited a while, he said:
'Is there any who hath any guilt to lay against a Stranger, an Outlander, being such a man as he deems we can come at?'
Thereat was a stir amongst the Men of the Fleece of the Shepherds, and their ranks opened, and there came forth an ill-favoured lean old man, long-ne