These excerpts from Scriftboc concern children and their rights:
A01.03.2 If he begets a child, he must fast more severely, as the bishop or masspriest judges for him.
A01.04.0 If a man without orders not in the monastic life commits fornication, he must fast twelve months; if he begets a child, he should fast four winters; if he slays the child, he must fast seven winters.
A02.01.2 If she has a child, he fasts 3 winters.
A02.05.2 If she has a child, he must free it and nonetheless must fast one winter.
A07.01.0 If a child dies a heathen, his father and mother must fast three years.
A07.02.0 Whoever murders his child when it is a heathen (unbaptized) must fast ten winters according to the judgment of the canons; some wish it to be six winters.
A07.03.0 If a pagan child is entrusted to the priest and it is weak and it dies a heathen, the priest is to be cast out from his order. If it (the negligence) be dependent on the parents (and the neglect is theirs), the priest must fast one winter.
A11.04.0 If someone frees a pregnant slave, her child is nevertheless born a slave.
A15.01.1 If a mother murders her child she must fast fifteen winters without interruption, except on Sunday.
A21.04.0 Three Masses for dead laymen are celebrated each year, on the third day, the ninth day, and the thirtieth day, for Christ rose from the dead on the third day and in the ninth hour he gave up his spirit, and the children of Israel mourned Moses for thirty days.
A23.04.0 Whoever eats the scabs of his body or worms, or drinks urine or eats feces, if he is a child or a young man, let him be beaten; if it is an adult man, he must fast one year or the three fasting periods; either (punishment) is under the bishop's hand.
A26.12.1 if a widow commits fornication, she must repent for one year and (in addition) the fast days (Ember days) of the year;
A26.12.2 and if she has a child, she must do penance for two years fully and for another two less severely.
How do the penances given for children differ from those given for adults? Develop some general observations about the differences in penances between adults and children. Why do you think these specific differences were put in place? What do these penances say about the ways Anglo-Saxons viewed the differences between children and adults?
1/98