Gesithman

If any one received into his family a ceorl who fled from justice, he was obliged to pay his own were, but if he refused he was compellable to pay his own were, and then his gesithman was bound to pay his were also. Here the stranger, by being admitted into the family of another, became the gesithman of his host.

The gesiths, gesithmen, or gesithcundmen, were the military companions or followers of the Anglo-Saxon chiefs and Kings.

Next to him in dignity came the ealdorman, and then the king’s thanes or gesithmen.