We find them among the ancient Greeks during the time of the Trojan war.
Compositions for murder are mentioned in Nestor's speech to Achilles, in the ninth Iliad, and are called [Greek: apoinai].

The Irish, who never had any connections with the German nations, adopted the same practice till very lately; and the price of a man's head was called among them his "eric;" as we learn from Sir John Davis.

The same custom seems also to have prevailed among the Jews.[*******] Theft and robbery were frequent among the Anglo-Saxons In order to impose some check upon these crimes, it was ordained, that no man should sell or buy any thing above twenty pence value, except in open market;[********] and every bargain of sale must be executed before witnesses.[*********] [1: Lindenbrogius, passim.] [2: Tacit, de Mor.

Germ.] [3: LL.AElf.sect.12.Wilkins, p.29.It is probable that by wilful murder Alfred means a treacherous murder, committed by one who has no declared feud with another.] [4: LL.AElf.sect.4.Wilkins, p.

35.] [5: LL.AElf.sect.40.See also LL.Ethelb.