1. A system of mutual responsibility in medieval England in which groups of ten men were held collectively accountable for the conduct of their members.
Usage: archaic; historical; chiefly British
2. The members of such a group, or the pledge itself that bound them together.
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• Frankpledges were a key feature of law enforcement in Anglo-Saxon and Norman England.
• Under the frankpledges system, if one member committed a crime, the entire group could face penalties.
• The frankpledges required all free men over twelve years old to join a group of ten.
• Medieval villages organized their frankpledges to maintain order and prevent theft.
• The frankpledges system gradually declined after the Norman Conquest as other legal structures developed.