Y

Yes and no. After the Norman Conquest to determine custom and practice the old Anglo-Saxon laws were formally written down. Under the Charter of Athelstan it was common practice that in all actions upon a suit, the people were permitted to state yea or nay without the necessity of taking an oath. It is widely believed the Charter itself is a fake document. In Ripon's case, the ink was hardly dry on the 'Athelstan' charter when it was presented in a lawsuit between the archbishop and the canons. The canons had successfully defended their rights before but in 1228, after producing another Athelstan charter, ...