or Folcmote, (Sax. Folcgemot, i.e. conventus populi), is compounded of folk, popular, and mote, or gemote, convenire; and signified originally, as Somner in his Saxon Dictionary informs us, a general assembly of the people, to confer of and order matters of the commonwealth. And Sir Henry Spelman says, the folcmote was a sort of annual parliament, or convention of the bishops, thanes, aldermen, and freemen, upon every May-day yearly; where the laymen were sworn to defend one another and the king, and to preserve the laws of the kingdom; and then consulted of the common safety. But Dr Brady infers from the laws of the Saxon kings of England, that it was an inferior court, held before the king's reeve or steward, every month, to do folk right, or com-