Sixhyndman

The nobility are frequently, and in later records generally, styled Thanes; which honour seems to be a territorial designation. They are also indicated by the fines imposed on them for crimes, and by the composition payable for their lives. And thus we find them divided into Twelfhyndmen and Sixhyndmen; according as 1200 or 600 shillings was the amount of their were or composition.

It is remarkable that, though the syxhyndman is named at first, nothing more is said of him; and the twelfhyndman is defined to be a thane.

Both the twelvehyndman and the sixhyndman are gesithcundmen, followers of chiefs, and enjoy their privileged position in regard to were and wite, and in other respects, by reason of the exalted patronage bestowed on them.

It was the acquisition of five hides that enabled a warrior to aspire to the rank of king’s thane, and led to the passage into the class of twelvehyndmen for him, or to sixhyndmen in the case of the prosperous wealh.

These wealhs, as well as ceorls, appear to have been able to attain to the rank of king’s thane, but it has been suggested that the thane of Welsh extraction (wealh) was only appraised at half the value of the English thane; in fact that the twelvehyndman with his were of 1,200s. was the English thane, and the sixhyndman with the were of 600s. the Welsh thane.