The Folk-moot was in fact the war-host, the gathering of every freeman of the tribe in arms.

The head of the Folk, a head who existed only so long as war went on, was the leader whom the host chose to command it.

Its Witenagemot or meeting of wise men was the host's council of war, the gathering of those ealdormen who had brought the men of their villages to the field.

The host was formed by levies from the various districts of the tribe; the larger of which probably owed their name of "hundreds" to the hundred warriors which each originally sent to it.

In historic times however the regularity of such a military organization, if it ever existed, had passed away, and the quotas varied with the varying customs of each district.