PEDESECUS

Lit.'beside, by the feet'. Title of a person of apparently lowly position, sitting at someone's feet, but borne by a *thegn, close to his king. A grant of land made by King Aethelbert in 858 was witnessed amongst others by Eastmund, described as pedesecus. In the list of subscribers, Eastmund was third, following only the king himself, and Aethelmod, *ealdorman. In common with titles of apparently low status, the pedesecus, being a thegn, was likely very close to his lord. [<Lat.pes= foot +secus= by, alongside] -

Cf.Aerendraca; Staller