The Laws of King Aethelbert, No. 18.

English Law

If a man furnish weapons to another where there is strife though no evil be done, let him make a bot with VI shillings
Felons, Foreigners and Others Deemed Dangerous By the State

The Laws of the Earliest English Kings, Laws of King Alfred the Great: cap. 36

English Law

It is moreover decreed: if a man have a spear over his shoulder, and any man stake himself upon it, that he pay the ‘wer’ without the ‘wite.’ if he stake himself before his face let him pay the ‘wer.’ If he be accused of wilfulness in the deed, let him clear himself according to the ‘wite;’ and with that let the ‘wite’ abate. And let this be if the point be three fingers higher than the hindmost part of the shaft; if they be both on a level, the point and hindmost part of the shaft, let that be …
Storage

Laws of King Alfred the Great, A.D. Cir. 890, Cap. 38

English Law

If a man fight before a king’s ealdorman in the ‘gemot,’ let him make ‘bot’ with ‘wer’ and ‘wite,’ as it may be right; and before this, cxx. shillings to the ealdorman as ‘wite.’ If he disturb the folkmote by drawing his weapon, cxx. shillings to the ealdorman as ‘ wite.’ If aught of this happen before a king’s ealdorman’s junior, or a king’s priest, xxx. shillings as ‘wite.
Brandishing

Laws of King Alfred the Great, A.D. Cir. 890, Cap. 7

English Law

If any man fight in the king’s hall, or draw his weapon, and he be taken; be it in the king’s doom, either death or life, as he may be willing to grant him. If he escape, and be taken again, let him pay for himself according to his wer-gild, and make a bot for the offense, as well wer as wite, according as he may have wrought.
Brandishing

1035

Law of King Canute A. D. 1016-1035. Secular Dooms, Cap. 81

English Law

And I will that every man be entitled to his hunting in wood and in field, on his own possession. And let every one forego my hunting: take notice where I will have it untrespassed on, under penalty of the full ‘wite.’
Hunting

1080

The Dialogue Concerning the Exchequer, circa 1080, Book 1, § 12

English Law

The forest of the king is the safe dwelling-place of wild beasts; not of every kind, but of the kinds that live in woods; not in all places, but in fixed ones, and ones suitable for the purpose; whence it is called “forests,” the ” e ” being changed into ” o,” as if it were ” feresta ” . i.e., an abiding place for wild beasts.
Hunting

1285

13 Edw. I (1285) (Eng.) (Statutes for the City of London)

English Law

“It is enjoined that none be so hardy to be found going or wandering about the Streets of the City, after Curfew tolled at St. Martins le Grand, with Sword or Buckler, or other Arms for doing Mischief, or whereof evil suspicion might arise; nor any in any other Manner, unless he be a great Man or other lawful Person of good repute, or their certain Messenger, having their Warrants to go from one to another, with Lanthern in hand.”
Carrying Weapons

1313

7 Edw. 2, 170 (1313)

English Law

The King [to the Justices of his Bench,] sendeth Greeting, Whereas of late before certain Persons deputed to treat upon sundry debates had between Us and certain great Men of our Realm, amongst other things it was accorded, That in our next Parliament after, Provisoin [shall] be made by Us, and the common assent of the prelates, Earls, and Barons, that in all Parliaments, [Treatises,] and other assemblies, which should be made in the Realm of England [ for ever] that every Man shall come without all Force and Armour, well and peaceably, to the Honour of Us, and the …
Sensitive Places and Times

1328

2 Edw. 3, 320, ch. 3 (1328)

English Law

Item, it is enacted, That no Man great nor small, of what Condition soever he be, except the King’s Servants in his presence, and his Ministers in executing of the King’s Precepts, of their Office, and such as be in their Company assisting them, and also [upon a Cry made for Arms to keep the Peace, and the same in such places where such Acts happen,] be so hardy to come before the King’s Ministers doing their office, with force and arms, nor bring no force in affray of the peace, nor to go nor ride armed by night nor …
Carrying Weapons

1350

Statutory Crime of Affray, 25 Edw. 3, stat. 5, c. 2, § 13 (1350)

English Law

and if percase any man of this realm ride armed [covertly] or secretly with Men of arms against any other to flay him, or rob him, or take him, or retain him till he hath made Fine or Ransom for to have his Deliverance, it is not the mind of the King nor his Council, that in such Case it shall be judged Treason, but shall be judged Felony or Trespass, according to the laws of the land of old Time used, and according to the laws of the land of old time, used and according to the case requireth.
Carrying Weapons

1383

7 Ric. 2, 35, ch. 13 (1383)

English Law

Item, it is ordained and assented, and also the King doth prohibit, That from henceforth no Man shall ride in Harness within the Realm, contrary to the Form of the Statute of Northampton thereupon made, neither with Launcegay within the Realm, the which Launcegays be clearly put out within the said Realm, as a Thing prohibited by our Lord the King, upon Pain of Forfeiture of the said Launcegays, Armours, and other Harness, in whose hands or Possession they be found that bear them within the Realm, contrary to the Statutes and Ordinances aforesaid without the King’s special license.
Dangerous or Unusual Weapons

1383

7 Ric. 2, 35, ch. 13 (1383)

English Law

Item, it is ordained and assented, and also the King doth prohibit, That from henceforth no Man shall ride in Harness within the Realm, contrary to the Form of the Statute of Northampton thereupon made, neither with Launcegay within the Realm, the which Launcegays be clearly put out within the said Realm, as a Thing prohibited by our Lord the King, upon Pain of Forfeiture of the said Launcegays, Armours, and other Harness, in whose hands or Possession they be found that bear them within the Realm, contrary to the Statutes and Ordinances aforesaid without the King’s special license. *Note* …
Dangerous or Unusual Weapons

1396

20 Ric. 2, 93, ch. 1 (1396)

English Law

First, whereas in a Statute made the Seventh Year of the Reign of the King that now is, it is ordained and assented, That no Man shall ride armed within the Realm, against the form of the Statute of Northampton thereupon made, nor with Launcegays within the same Realm, and that the said Launcegays shall by utterly put out within the said Realm, as a Thing prohibited by the King, upon Pain of Forfeiture of the same Launcegays, Armours, or any other Harness, in the Hands and Possession of them that bear them, form henceforth within the same Realm against …
Carrying Weapons

1403

4 Hen 4, c. 29

English Law

It is ordained and established, that from henceforth no Man be armed nor bear defensible armor to Merchant Towns Churches nor Congregations in the same, nor in the Highways, in affray of the Peace or the King’s Liege people, upon pain of imprisonment, and to make Fine and Ransom at the King’s Will; except those which be lawful Liege People to our Sovereign Lord the King.
Felons, Foreigners and Others Deemed Dangerous By the State Sensitive Places and Times

1534

26 Hen. 8, c. 6, § 3 (1534)

English Law

And also be it enacted by authority aforesaid, that no person or persons dwelling or residing within Wales or the Lordship marches of the same, of what estate degree or condition so ever he or they be of, coming, resorting or repairing unto any Sessions or Court to be holden within Wales or any Lordship marches of the same, shall bring or bear or cause to be brought or borne, to the same sessions or court or to any place within the distance of two miles from the same Sessions or Court, nor to any town, church, fair, market, or …
Carrying Weapons

1541

33 Hen. 8, c. 6, § 1, An Act Concernin Crossbows and Handguns (1541).

English Law

Where in the Parliament holden at Westminster the fifteenth day of January in the twenty-fifth year of the King’s most gracious reign, and there continued and kept until the thirtieth day of March then next ensuing, among diverse and sundry wholesome and laudable acts, statutes, and ordinances one statute and ordinance was made and ordained for the avoiding and eschewing of shooting in crossbows and handguns; since the making of which act diverse malicious and evil disposed persons not only presume willfully and obstinately the violation and breach of the said Act, but also of their malicious and evil disposed …
Carrying Weapons Dangerous or Unusual Weapons

1662

Militia Act of 1662, 13 & 14 Car. 2, c. 3, § 13 (1662)

English Law

XIII. and for the better securing the Peace of the Kingdom be it further enacted and ordained and the respective Lieutenants or any two or more of their deputies are hereby enabled and authorized from time to time by Warrant under their Hands and Seals to employ such Person or Persons as they shall think fit (of which a Commissioned Officer and the Constable or his Deputy or the Tythingman or in the absence of the Constable and his Deputy and Tythingman some other Person bearing Office within the Parish where the Search shall be shall be to to search …
Militia Regulations

1671

22 Car. 2, c.25, § 3 (1671)

English Law

No person who had not lands of the yearly value of 100 pounds other than the son and heir of an esquire or other person of higher degree, should be allowed to own a gun.
Registration and Taxation

1689

An Act for the better secureing the Government by disarming Papists and reputed Papists, 1 W. & M. ch. 15 (1689).

English Law

For the better secureing of the Government against Papists and reputed Papists bee it enacted by the King and Queens most excellent Majestyes by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parlyament assembled and by authoritie of the same That it shall and may be lawfull for any two or more Justices of the Peace who shall know or suspect any person to be a Papist or shall be informed that any person is or is suspected to be a Papist to tender and they are hereby authorized and required …
Felons, Foreigners and Others Deemed Dangerous By the State

1689

1689, 1 W. & M. st. 2, c. 2.

English Law

That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law
Felons, Foreigners and Others Deemed Dangerous By the State

1723

9 Geo. 1, c. 22 (1723), An act for the more effectual punishing wicked and evil-disposed persons going armed in disguise, and doing injuries and violences to the persons and properties of his Majesty’s subjects, and for the more speedy bringing the offenders to justice.

English Law

I. WHEREAS several ill-designing and disorderly persons have of late associated themselves under the name of Blacks, and entered into confederacies to support and assist one another in stealing and destroying of deer, robbing of warrens and fish-ponds, cutting down plantations of trees, and other illegal practices, and have, in great numbers, armed with swords, fire-arms, and other offensive weapons, several of them with their faces blacked, or in disguised habits, unlawfully hunted in forests belonging to his Majesty, and in the parks of divers of his Majesty’s subjects, and destroyed, killed and carried away the deer, robbed warrens, rivers …
Carrying Weapons
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