Well my eternal fascination for small folk has helped me find another quote...
As I was reading The Ride of the Rohirrim I found another quote suggesting treason could be punished with death, and as already very well explained by Boromir88, oathbreaking:
Quote:
Ghân-buri-Ghân will not lead you into trap. He will go himself with father of horse-men, and if he leads you wrong, you will kill him.
So be it! said Theoden
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And the same is shown by Gandalf's words to the Dwarves in the Hobbit:
Quote:
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Beorn is not as far off as you seem to think, and you had better keep your promises anyway, for he is a bad enemy. Mr. Baggins' eyes are sharper than yours, if you have not seen each night after dark a great bear going along with us or sitting far of in the moon watching our camps. Not only to guard you and guide you, but to keep an eye on the ponies too. Beorn may be your friend, but he loves his animals as his children. You do not guess what kindness he has shown you in letting dwarves ride them so far and so fast, nor what would happen to you, if you tried to take them into the forest.
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The Elves were kinder, as shown by the decision of Thranduil:
Quote:
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It is a crime to wander in my realm without leave. Do you forget that you were in my kingdom, using the road that my people made? Did you not three times pursue and trouble my people in the forest and rouse the spiders with your riot and clamour? After all the disturbance you have made I have a right to know what brings you here, and if you will not tell me now, I will keep you all in prison until you have learned sense and manners!
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So it seems that the Wood-elves had a system of laws, giving the king the right to hold strangers prisoners.