»At around the same time that felony (as a concept – RM) emerged so did the practice of ‘taking church’, enabling a person, sought by civil authorities, to enter a church and seek sanctuary.1 The practice had its origins in Anglo-Saxon times when the church would offer sanctuary to those who were in conflict having harmed another free man. The practice allowed both parties time to cool off and the priest could help the parties negotiate a settlement.«
aus einem Entwurf von John Moore zu seinem neuen Buch über die geschichtliche Entstehung des Konzepts »crime«
1 Shannon McSheffrey (2017) Seeking Sanctuary: Crime, Mercy, and Politics in English Courts, 1400-1550, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.7