Constitution

The Draft Constitution is as follows:

i The Geferscip [Guild] shall be called Haliges Eadmundes Gesiþas (1). Gesiþscip [Membership] shall be open to all who are current members of a Christian community. It shall be organized as far as possible on the basis of the Englisc [Old English or Anglo-Saxon] social system. All Englisc [Old English or Anglo-Saxon] terms are to be used and understood as far as possible in the sense that they were used and understood by the Englisc. If an Englisc [Old English] version of the lagu [laws or constitution] should be produced, it shall take priority over any other version. The Fellowship shall be set up within the boundaries of England, as understood by the Englisc, and the Geferscip shall have no jurisdiction outside those boundaries. Any folk from an Utland [foreign country] who wish to join the Geferscip [Guild] may do so, but the Utland should be given an appropriate name and its leader a suitable title. The leader may then run his Utland in a way that is, as far as possible, historically accurate to the Englisc period. Any leader of an Utland may attend and speak at Witenagemot [meetings of the Witan], but will not have a vote there.

ii The objects shall be:–

a) To bring together all Christians with a common interest in the manifold aspects of the Englisc [Old English or Anglo-Saxon] period, its language, culture and traditions, thus to create a common fund of information and enthusiasm and to breathe new life into our native language, literature and art.

b) To encourage devotion to local saints, and the celebration of their anniversaries.

c) To promote a wider interest in, knowledge of, and affection for, all aspects of the Englisc [Old English or Anglo-Saxon] culture and tradition.

iij The affairs of Haliges Eadmundes Gesiþas shall be managed by a Witan [Group of wise counsellors] which shall consist of an Ealdor [Leader] a Gerefa [Steward or Secretary] and other Witan [Counsellors] whose number shall not normally fall below seven, and who shall as far as possible represent their respective regions of England. A Hordere [Treasurer] will also be necessary: he may either be a voting Wita, or simply attend Witenagemot by virtue of his office, without an entitlement to vote.

All decisions will be taken in the name of the Ealdor, although he may only act in conformity with a majority of the Witan. He is the representative of St Eadmund who, in the absence of the Cyning (our last Cyning was Harold Godwinesson, killed at Sandlake [Battle] in 1066) and as the original Patron Saint of England, is the true leader of the Fellowship. An icon of Halig Eadmund shall be set up in a place of honour at all meetings of the Witan (2). The Witan shall be filled at first by appointment, but subsequently by election. Should the number of the Witan at any time fall below seven, the Ealdor may appoint Wita to make up their number. The Gerefa shall set down a ræd [record] of all meetings of the Witan.

The Witan shall elect the two above named officers [the Ealdor and the Gerefa]. Thereafter the Ealdor, with the agreement of the Witan, may appoint Scirgerefan to serve in various regions of the country. Their duty will be to report back to him on local affairs, and to represent his interests in the region. Other jobs, which will at first be done by the Gerefa, but may sooner or later need to be delegated are Þyle [publicity officer] and Ferscipes Getælere [Membership Secretary]. These jobs, and any others that arise, may either be taken by existing Wita, or the Ealdor may appoint other Gesiþas with the appropriate skills to these positions. Gesiþas appointed to serve the Witan shall be given the title of Þegn [Thane], but shall not have a vote on the decisions of the Witan.

The Witan shall have a minimum quorum of five, of whom one must be the Ealdor, or a Wita [probably the Gerefa] who has been specifically appointed to carry out the functions of the Ealdor for that session of the Witenagemot. The quorum may subsequently be raised in proportion to the number of Wita. In the event of a 'hung' vote, the Ealdor shall have a casting vote. In the event of the death, retirement or incapacity of the Ealdor, the Witan may elect a new Ealdor. The Witan may also elect a new Ealdor in the (unlikely) event that three-quarters of the Witan passes a vote of no confidence in him. In normal circumstances the retiring Ealdor shall be able to declare who he would like to succeed him (normally one of the Wita), which may properly influence the vote, but the result of the vote shall take precedence over the choice of the retiring Ealdor. In the unlikely event that no Wita is considered fit to become Ealdor, the Witan may vote for any suitable Gesiþ.

iiij The Ealdor may issue Gewritu [Letters].

a) summoning a Witenagemot, and

b) To convey his will to the whole or part of the Fellowship. However the Ealdor may not issue a Gewrit of this second kind without the knowledge and consent of a majority of a quorate Witenagemot, who may endorse the Gewrit.

v Gesiþscip [Membership] shall be open to all interested folk, subject to the conditions detailed above and to approval by the Witan or their appointed representatives, and on payment of any moneys that shall be deemed necessary by the Witan. Any gield [subscription] to be paid shall fall due on or soon after harvest-tide.

a) A gield [subscription] paid by a new Gesiþ after midsummer in any year shall count as having been paid for the following year.

b) Gesiþscip shall be deemed to have lapsed if the subscription is more than six months overdue, provided that the Gesiþ has received a reminder to pay.

vi A newsletter shall be circulated to all Gesiþas at regular intervals. This may be done either in the form of a hard copy, or electronically.

vij As the Geferscip [Guild] grows, England will be eventually divided up into regions, initially known as Ealdormanrice (3), as far as possible corresponding to the groupings that existed between AD449 and AD1066. It should be the object of each Scirgerefa to summon a Folcgemot [meeting of Gesiþas] as soon as possible and organize the election of an Ealdormann, who would then represent his region at the Witenagemot. The Ealdormann will then manage his local area, with the assistance of his Scirgerefa, and a Scirgemot, organized on a similar basis to the Witenagemot, but manned by Þegnas elected for a period of three years. Should the Scirgerefa be asked by his local Gesiþas to be the Ealdormann, he shall in turn ask the Ealdor to appoint a new Scirgerefa in his place. Any Gesiþ shall be entitled to put his name forward for re-election at the end of his three-year period of office if he so desires. A vote of no confidence in the Ealdormann passed by three-quarters of the Þegnas of the Scirgemot would result in his stepping down, and a new Ealdormann would then be elected by the remaining Þegnas from amongst the other existing Þegnas of that Scirgemot.

viij The Scirgerefa shall be responsible for the initial setting up of electoral arrangements for his Scir, establishing agreed boundaries, the number of Þegnas to sit, the quorum, a reasonable period of notice for a Folcgemot and if necessary making arrangements for a postal vote. A Scirgemot, once elected, should be summoned each year following, or oftener if circumstances demand it. Once an Ealdormann has been appointed, responsibility for local matters would fall to him. He shall deal with any queries or complaints regarding the electoral procedure or any other matter relevant to the Geferscip [Guild] on a fair and equitable basis. If a Gesiþ or Gesiþas have any reasonable complaint against the decision of their Ealdormann, they have the right of appeal to the next higher officer as applicable, or to the Ealdor Haliges Eadmundes gesiþa, whose decision shall be final. If the Ealdormann should, by death or illness or any other reason, be unable to act, the Scirgerefa shall take over his functions until a new Ealdormann is elected.

viiij Once having been appointed to or elected to the Witan, or a Scirgemot, or appointed a Þegn by the Ealdor or any of his Ealdormenn, the appointee may continue to hold the courtesy title of Þegn, unless he resigns from the Geferscip [Guild] or behaves himself in such a manner as to bring it into disrepute.

x In the event of any Gesiþ acting in such a way as to bring the name of the Geferscip [Guild] into disrepute, or being complained of in any way relevant to the Geferscip [Guild], the case shall be investigated by the Ealdormann, who shall deal with it as he thinks fit. In the event of an appeal against the decision of his Ealdormann, the next higher officer shall look into the case. Should such a case come before the Ealdor, his decision on any matter shall be final.

xi The Ealdor, with the consent of the Witan, may offer the title of Heahwita [High Counsellor] to any person he deems worthy. The Heahwitan may attend and speak at all meetings of the Fellowship: the Witenagemot, and any of its constituent rice or ealdordomas, but shall not have a vote at these assemblies.

xij Lagu i and ij are not capable of alteration: the integrity of the Geferscip [Guild] rests on them, and any deviation shall result in the dissolution of the Geferscip [Guild]. The rest of these Lagu shall not be materially altered except by the consent of three-quarters of the total number of Gesiþas.

Notes from within the text

1) The word Gesiþ (pronounced 'yeseeth') has no accurate translation in Modern English. The nearest we can come to it is [companion] or [comrade], but it is actually stronger than that, and perhaps might better be rendered 'sword-brother' or 'bosom-companion'. For example, in Old English society a Gesiþ was expected to show a high standard of loyalty to his Lord and, if his Lord was killed on the battlefield, he was expected to fight on against the enemy until he also met his death. Naturally we do not anticipate any present-day Gesiþ having to do anything this extreme!

2) An icon of Halig Eadmund may also be set up at Scirmot, but it is not necessary to do so.

3) The heptarchy provides the basis for this model, and the possible ealdordomas should correspond to the English kingdoms: i.e. Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, Essex, Sussex, Middlesex/Surrey and Kent. Alternative models could be substituted, perhaps containing a greater number of kingdoms than seven (Lindsey, Hwicce, Middle Engle are regional names which spring to mind). This would involve an enlargement of the Witan to accommodate extra representatives. Some ealdordomas obviously contain several geographical shires, and further subdivision of large ealdordomas like Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex may be necessary, either immediately or in the future. In this event, leaders of the former ealdordom, who will now have ealdormenn under them, may be elvated to the title 'Cyning' – the title 'Cyning' is only improper for the Ealdor of the Fellowship.

Further Notes

In these Lagu, the terms 'he' and 'man' are used in the Englisc sense of a human being, and may be taken to refer to either sex.

Translations given in these Lagu following an Englisc word within square brackets [ ] are only for the guidance of those who do not necessarily understand the meaning of the Old English term, and are not to be assumed to have any meaning within the sentence.

Englisc is used to designate 'Old English'

'Anglo-Romance' is used to designate 'Post-Conquest'.

The Englisc Calendar and the Englisc language are to be used as much as possible; but to avoid confusion, translations and equivalent dates in the modern civil calendar should always be given.

The affixes 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' and 'Esquire' are of Norman or later introduction and therefore the Gesiþas commonly follow the Englisc custom of calling each other by their names or Englisc titles.

These notes shall be considered to be a part of the text of the Lagu, and may not be disassociated from it.