Villainage in England: Essays in English Mediaeval History

740

The Ramsey Cartulary has simply: 'Et virgatarius arabit et herciabit qualibet septimana per unum diem sicut operarius.'

741

Rot. Hundr. ii. 348.

742

Ib. 443, 444. Isabel, the daughter of William le Frend, is taken as a typical half-virgater.

743

Rot. Hundr. ii. 326.

744

Ib. ii. 327.

745

Ib. ii. 436.

746

Ib ii. 438.

747

Ib. ii. 473.

748

Rot. Hundr. 470: '(villani) quilibet istorum tenet dimidiam virgatam terre de predicta Elena de quibus xxx et 1 operantur in uno anno et alii xxxij operantur in alio anno et in eodem anno quo operantur dant domine per annum 8 d. et alii qui non operantur dant per annum quilibet dimidius virgatarius 2 s. 10 d. et auxilium Vicecomitis 1 d. obolum et quilibet dat obolum, quadrantem ad festum St. Michaelis.'

749

Maitland, Select Pleas in Manorial Courts, vol. i. 95: A reeve complains that Richer Jocelin's son and Richard Reeve and his wife have insulted him, by saying among other things '… quod cepisse debuit munera de divitibus ne essent censuarii et pauperes ad censum posuisse debuit.'

750

It might perhaps be objected that the difference in favour of the free people ought to be explained by a depreciation of money which in process of time lowered the value of quit rents. But the explanation would hardly suit the age in which the Hundred Rolls were compiled. The phenomenon mentioned in the text may be observed in all the Cartularies, and there is no reason to think that the free rents which occur in them are already antiquated survivals of agreements which had lost their economic sense.

751

Rot. Hundr. ii. 542.

752

Ib. 348.

753

Ib. 508.

754

Exch. Q.R. Misc. Books, N 29, f. 11 a.

755

Exch. Q.R. Misc. Books, N 29, f. 12: 'Idem Thomas habet ibidem 12 villanos tenentes 4 virgatas terre et dimidiam in villenagio, unde Johannes Aylind tenet dimidiam virgatam terre pro 5 s. 8 d. faciens fenum domini per unum diem cum uno homine, metens blada eiusdem domini per 1 diem cum uno homine, etc. Idem Thomas habet ibidem 11 liberos tenentes 11 virgatas terre et dimidiam. Unde Willelmus en la Nurne tenet dimidiam virgatam et 4 acras terre pro 4 solidis faciens sectam ad curiam de Bathekynton bis per annum pro omni demanda.'

756

Bodekesham, Cambs. (R.H. ii. 487), is probably a case of molland. The often-quoted instance of Ayllington is doubtful, although the Ramsey Cartulary speaks of the liber tenentes as malmanni. The expression was probably in use for all rent-paying people, although properly a designation of those who had commuted their services. See Appendix XV.

757

R.H. ii. 349, 350: 'In Weston, Bucks, the service of the villain virgater is estimated at 5 s. 2 d.... Elyas Clericus tenet dim. virgatam et reddit Johanni de Patishull 1 d. Willelmus fil. Willelmi de Ravenestone tenet dim. virgatam de eodem feodo et reddit per annum 1 d. Thomas Acpelard tenet dimidiam virgatam terre et reddit dicto Willelmo de Nodaris 3 d. Stephanus Elys tenet dimidiam virgatam et solvit eodem Willelmo 2 d. Thomas Thebaud tenet dimidiam virgatam et reddit eidem Willelmo 1 d.... Item Robertus le Cobeler tenet dimidiam virgatam terre et solvit eodem 1 libram cimini. Omnes isti prescripti dant per annum forinsecum et scutagium domino Willelmo de Nodaris quando currit.' Cf. Torrington, Bucks, R.H. ii. 352.

758

R.H. ii. 713 (Stanton, Oxon.): 'ad alternacionem cujuslibet domini de Stanton debet recognoscere eundem dominum de uno spervario et dabit dimidiam marcam eidem domino.'

759

See e.g. Ramsey Cartul. i. 138, 142.

760

R.H. ii. 402, 403.

761

R.H. ii. 466. Cf. 609.

762

R.H. ii. 502.

763

R.H. ii. 484, 485.

764

R.H. 469, 470, 475.

765

A good specimen of the accusations which might be made against a manorial agent is afforded by the Court-rolls of the Abbey of Ramsey. Seld. Soc. ii. p. 95.

766

Seld. Soc. ii. 22: 'Et dicit curia quod tenementum et una acra servilis condicionis sunt et una acra libere.'

767

Coram Rege, Pascha 9 Edw. I, 34, 6: 'Messarius abbatis et messarius villate.'

768

Okeburn Inqu. 56 (Add. MSS. 24316): 'Eligere debent unum messarium de se ipsis et domini de ipso electo poterunt facere prepositum.'

769

Gloucester Cart. iii. 221: 'Prepositus eligetur per communitatem halimoti qui talem eligant qui ad suam terram propriam excolendum et cetera bona sua discrete et circumspecte tractanda idoneus merite notatur et habeatur, pro cuius defectibus et abmittendis totum halimotum respondeat, nisi ubi urgens necessitas aut causa probabilis illud halimotum coram loci ballivo rationabilem praetendere poterit excusationem.' Cf. Walter of Henley, ed. Lamond, pp. 10, 64, 66.

770

Seld. Soc. ii. 12: 'Nicholaus filius sacerdotis … et Robertus de Magedone … in misericordia quia contradixerunt tallagium quod positum fuit super eos per vicinos suos.' Glastonb. Inqu. of 1189, p. 33: 'Totum manerium reddit de dono 73 solidos et 4 den. sicut homines ville illud statuunt.'

771

Ramsey Cart. i. 401: 'Sunt in scot et in lot et in omnibus cum villata.' Spalding Priory Reg., Cole MSS. xliii. p. 283: 'Libere tenens facit fossatum maris et omnes communas ville secundum quantitatem bouatae.'

772

Ramsey Cart. i. 398: 'Henricus le Freman solebat esse in communa villatae, ut in tallagio et similibus. Nulla inde facit.' p. 394 (a villager does not pay his part of the tallage), 'quod quidem tallagium tota villata et ad magnum ipsorum gravamen hucusque persolvit.'

773

Glastonbury Cart., Wood MSS. i. f. 111: 'Si nul soit enfraunchi de ses ouvrages dont la ville est le plus charge.'

774

Add. MSS. 6159, f. 25, b: 'Dominus debet invenire duos homines sumptibus suis coram eisdem justiciariis et villata de Rode sumptibus suis tres homines invenient. Et hoc per consuetudinem a tempore quo non extat memoria ut dicitur.' Cf. Domesday of St. Paul's, 15: 'Alanus filius Alexandri de Cassingburne tres virgatas pro 20 solidis et preter haec 10 acras de villata et 10 de dominico propter sectam sire et hundredi quam modo non facit.'

775

Custumal of Bleadon, 257: 'Invenit fabrum pro ferdello domino et toti villae.'

776

Shaftesbury Cart., Harl. MSS. 61, f. 63: 'Ibit ad scotaliam domine sicut ad scotaliam vicinorum.'

777

Ramsey Cart. i. 425: 'Ponitur in respectu quousque videatur quomodo se gerat versus dominum abbatem et suos vicinos.'

778

Seld. Soc. ii. 172: 'Ad istam curiam venit tota communitas villanorum de Bristwalton et de sua mera et spontanea voluntate sursum reddidit domino totum jus et clamium quod idem villani habere clamabant racione commune in bosco domini qui vocatur Hemele et landis circumadjacentibus, ita quod nec aliquid juris vel clamii racione commune in bosco predicto et landis circumadjacentibus exigere, vendicare vel habere poterint in perpetuum. Et pro hac sursum reddicione remisit eis dominus de sua gracia speciali communam quam habuit in campo qui vocatur Estfeld,' etc.

779

Annals of Dunstable (Annales Monast.) iii. 379, 380: 'Et prior dicit, quod praedicta tenementa aliquo tempore fuerunt in seisina hominum villate de Thodingdone, qui quidem homines, unanimi voluntate et assensu, feofaverunt praedictum Simonem, praedecessorem praedicti prioris, de praedictis tenementis, tenendum eidem Simoni et successoribus suis in perpetuum. Jurati dicunt … quod praedicta tenementa aliquo tempore fuerunt in seisina praedictorum hominum villatae de Thodingdone et quod omnes illi, qui aliquid habuerunt in praedictis duabus placiis terrae, congregati in uno loco ad quandam curiam apud Thodingdone tentam, unanimi assensu concesserunt praedicto Symoni, quondam priori de Dunstaple, praedecessori prioris nunc, praedictas placeas terrae, cum pertinentiis, tenendum eidem et successoribus suis in perpetuum, reddendo inde eisdem hominibus et eorum haeredibus per annum sex denarios temporibus falcacionis prati.'

780

Madox, Firma Burgi, 54, f: '… statim visis litteris capiat in manum Regis maneria de Cochame et Bray, quae sunt in manibus hominum praedictorum maneriorum, et salvo custodiat, ita quod deinceps Regi possit respondere de firma praedictorum maneriorum ad scaccarium.' 54, g: 'Miramur quamplurimum quod 30s. quos monachi de Lyra de elemosyna nostra constituta singulis annis per manus ballivorum villae vestrae, antequam predictam villam caperitis ad firmam recipere.' Cf. Exch. i. 407, a, 412, b; Rot. Hundr. ii. 134: 'Benmore juxta Langport fuit de dominico domini Regis pertinens ad Sumerton ubi omnes homines domini Regis de Sumerton, Sutton, Puttem et Merne solebant communicare cum omnimodis averiis suis, set per negligenciam villanorum de Sumertone qui manerium tunc temporis ad firmam tenuerunt et Henricus de Urtiaco vetus eandem moram sibi appropriavit.'

781

Gloucester Cart. iii. 181: 'Omnes isti villani tenent de dominio quoddam pratum quod vocatur Hay continens 23 acras et reddunt inde per annum 23 solidos 3 denarios.'

782

Cf. Prof. Maitland's Introduction to the rolls of the Abbey of Ramsey. Seld. Soc. ii. 87.

783

See the record of proceedings in the Court of the manor of Hitchin, printed by Mr. Seebohm at the end of his volume on the 'Village Community.'

784

Introduction to Seld. Soc. ii. p. xvi.

785

Add. MSS. 6159, f. 54, a: 'Visus de borchtruning.'

786

Gloucester Cart. iii. 221; Malmesbury Cart. ii. 17. Cf. Kovalevsky, 'History of police administration in England' (Russian), 137.

787

Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, p. 101: 'De tidinga Estone 5 solidos vel placita que orientur.' Cf. Maitland, Introduction to Seld. Soc. ii. pp. xxx, xxxiii.

788

Rot. Hundr. ii. 461, b: 'Et predicti Radulfus et Robertus habent suas duodenas.'

789

Y.B. 21-22 Edw. I, 399: 'Presence a vewe de franc pledge demande par la reson de la persone, non de la tenure.'

790

Glastonbury Cart., Wood MSS. i. f. 100, b: 'Predictus Abbas consensit quod omnes homines eorum de predictis villis qui fuerint duodecim annorum et amplius faciant sectam ad predictum hundredum bis in annis perpetuum … exceptis omnibus bercariis, carrucariis predictarum villarum et carrectariis cuiuscumque hominis fuerint et omnibus aliis hominibus tam de predictis villis quam aliunde qui sunt de manupastis ipsius abbatis qui nullam sectam facient ad predictum hundredum nisi ibidem fuerint implacitati vel alios implacitent.'

791

Glastonbury Cart., Wood MSS. i. f. 112: '… ne soit a la peis le roi come tere tenaunt en diseine ou en fraunche pleivine.' f. 111: 'Serment de ceux qui entrent en diseine … ne celeras chose qe apent a la pei le roi de engleterre.'

792

Introduction to Seld. Soc. ii. p. xviii.

793

Seld. Soc. ii. p. lxx.

794

Rot. Hundr. ii. 143: 'Ermoldus de Boys dominus de Asynton solebat facere sectam ad Boxford ad Sockomanemot pro terra Ricardi Serle in Cornerche, nunc illa secta subtracta per 4 annos.' The expression 'frank-halimote' occurs often, but it is evidently an equivalent to 'libera curia,' and interchanges with 'liberum manerium.' See Rot. Hundr. ii. 69, 74, 127.

795

Eynsham Inqu., Christ Church MSS. 15, a: 'Curia debet ibi teneri si dominus voluerit.'

796

Seld. Soc. ii. 49, etc.

797

Beaulieu Cart., Harl. MSS. 748, f. 113: 'De sectatoribus intrinsecis … et qui habent terram in campis … et ad forciamentum curie omnes predicti tam liberi quam alii cum 12 burgensibus vel pluribus venient ad curiam per racionabilem summonicionem.' Glastonb. Cart., Wood MSS. i. 101, d: 'Ipse et heredes et homines sui de Acforde facient bis in anno sectam ad hundredum abbatis de Nywentone et ad afforciamentum curie.'

798

Rot. Hundr. ii. 710, a; Ramsey Cart. i. 491.

799

Warwick Hundred Roll, Exch. Q.R. Misc. Books, 29, p. 10: 'Quidam de tenentibus dicunt quod nunquam fecerunt sectam.'

800

Gloucester Cart. iii. 208.

801

Chapter-house Box 152, No. 14: 'Hereditas de qua una secta debetur.'

802

Ramsey Cart. i. 412: 'Prohibitum est in plena curia, ne quis ducat placitatores in curiam abbatis ad impediendum vel prorogandum judicium domini Abbatis.' Gesta Abbatum (St. Alban's), 455: 'Non permittatur quod in halimotis adventicii placitatores partes cum sollemnitate sustineant sed communiter per bundos (i.e. bondos) de curia veritas inquiratur, sine callumnia verborum.'

803

Stoneleigh Reg. f. 75: 'Curia de Stonle ad quam sokemanni faciebant sectam solebat ab antiquo teneri super montem iuxta villam de Stonle vocatam Motstowehull, ideo sic dictum quia ibi placitabant sed postquam abbates de Stonle habuerunt dictam curiam et libertatem pro aysiamento tenencium et sectatorum fecerunt domum curie in medio ville de Stonle.'

804

Selden Soc. ii. p. 67.

805

Introduction to Seld. Soc. vol. ii. p. 76.

806

The Durham halimot books (Surtees Society) supply some instances.

807

Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, p. 33: 'De dono 73 solidos sicut homines ville illud statuunt.'

808

Selden Soc. ii. 36, 168.

809

Selden Society, vol. ii. 6, 7, 8.

810

Ibid. 31: 'Johannes Smert … Henricus Coterel maritavit se sine licencia domini, ideo distringantur ad faciendum voluntatem domini.'

811

Ibid. p. 44: 'Postea taxata fuit dicta misericordia per Rogerum de Suhtcote, Willelmum de Scaccario, Hugonem de Cumbe liberos sectatores curie usque ad duas marcas.'

812

Introduction to Seld. Soc. ii. p. lxv.

813

Ibid. pp. 163, 166.

814

Comp. Heussler, Institutionen des deutschen Privatrechts, i. 215; ii. 622; but I cannot agree with him as the ceremony being employed only where there was to be a 'donatio mortis causa.' In connexion with this the part played by the Salman is misunderstood, as it seems to me.

815

The court rolls of Common Law manors do not think it necessary to give the particulars about the transmission of the rod. But the description of the practice at Stoneleigh, which, though ancient demesne, presents manorial customs of the same character as those followed on ordinary estates, leaves no doubt as to the course of the proceedings. See above the passage quoted on pp. 113-6. Comp. a parallel ceremony as to freehold, Madox, Formulare, p. 54. The instance has been pointed out to me by Prof. Maitland.

816

See Pollock, Land-laws, 199, 208 (2nd ed.).

817

Seld. Soc. ii. 33; insertion of a lease in the roll; p. 35: 'Lis conquievit inter ipsos ita quod concordati fuerunt in hac forma de voluntate domini et in plena curia ita videlicet quod predictus Willelmus de Baggemere concessit, remisit et quietum clamavit pro se et heredibus suis … et hoc paratus est verificare per recordum rotulorum seu 12 juratores ejusdem curie per voluntatem domini et senescalli.' p. 166: 'Et sciatis quod si haberem ad manus rotulos curie tempore Willelmi de Lewes ego vobis certificarem et vobis monstrarem multa mirabilia non opportune facta.'

818

These points have been conclusively settled by the masterly investigations of Brunner, Zeugen- und Inquisitions-beweis (Abhandlungen der Wiener Akademie) and Entstehung der Schwurgerichte.

819

Seld. Soc. ii. 41: 'Quod talis sit consuetudo manerii et quod dicta Augnes sic venit in plena curia cum marito suo et totum jus et clamium quod haberet vel aliquo modo habere poterit in toto vel in parte hujus burgagii in manus domini ad opus ejusdem R. reddidit ponit super curiam … Et 12 juratores curie,' etc.

820

I do not mean to say that the analytical distinctions which we make between fact and law, between presenters to a tribunal and assessors of a tribunal, were clearly perceived or consequently carried out in the twelfth or thirteenth centuries. On the contrary there was a good deal of confusion in details, and the instinctive logic of facts had more to do in dividing and settling institutions than conscious reasoning. Juries and assizes of the Royal Courts might be called upon incidentally to decide legal questions, but, in the aggregate, there can be hardly a doubt that the sworn inquests before the Royal judges were working to provide the Courts with a knowledge of local facts and perhaps conditions, while the manorial court gave legal decisions.

821

Seld. Soc. ii. 41: 'Et 12 juratores curie … dicunt super sacramentum suum quod predicta Agnes venit in plena curia et totum jus et clamium quod aliquo modo habere potuit in dicto burgagio in manus domini reddidit.' 42: 'Et juratores … dicunt super sacramentum suum quod Juliana per quam dicta Matildis petit hujusmodi messuagium nunquam fuit seisita de ipso mesuagio, set Willelmus Ponfrayt maritus ipsius Juliane, unde secundum consuetudinem manerii Juliana post mortem W. mariti sui nichil poterit clamare nisi dotem in huiusmodi mesuagium nisi fuerit in plena curia una cum marito suo de huiusmodi perquisito conjunctim seisita.' Cf. p. 40: 'Unde Willelmus pro premissis in plena curia recordatis et inrotulatis dat domino 10 solidos.'

822

4 Inst. 270, cap. 58.

823

Y.B. 11/12 Edw. III (Rolls Ser.), p. 325, sqq.: '… les suters de Cokam firent venir plein record … les suiters agarderent seisine de terre … ila firent faux judgement … Stonore: Cest usage est molt encontre la ley, qe cesti qe doit tenir les plees ne poet pas recorder un attourne en ple qe serra plede devant lui mesme. Trew: Nous voloms averer qe les usages sont tiels, qe le seneschal de la court poet resceivir un attourne, issint qil dei entre les suiters coment il ad resceu un tiel attourne en tiel ple a la proschein court apres la resceite, et vous dions qe cesti Adam qe respondi par attourne fut resceu attourne en la manere.' Cf. Lysons, Magna Brit. i. 266. Y.B. 3 Edw. III. 29: 'Rob. le W. porta son brief de faux judgement devers un home et sa feme, et apres le record avowe par les suters de la court de Bloxham … les suters agarderent qe Robert et ses plegis fuerent in le mercie, et quod narratio sua fuit iniqua, et recordarent un nonsuit la ou la partie fust en court, per qe nous prioms qe cel record soit revers.' Viner, Abr. ii. A. 5, O. 6.

824

Y.B. 11/12 Edw. III (Rolls Ser.), p. 517: 'Trew. Le brief suppose qe le defendant tint le ple et qil fut baillif, ou seuters tenent le ple qe ont record; jugement de bref. Et non allocetur, quia ipse tenet curiam et ei dirigitur breve.'

825

Note Book of Bracton, pl. 1122: 'Preceptum fuit ballivis de Kingestona quod in plena curia sua de Kingestona recordari facerent loquelam … et recordum venire facerent per quatuor qui recordo illi interfuerunt, etc.... Ideo balliui inde sine die et Radulfus in misericordia.' 834: 'Preceptum fuit vicecomiti quod preciperet balliuis manerii Domini Regis de Haueringes quod recordari facerent in curia domini Regis de Haueringes loquelam que fuit in eadem curia per breve domini Regis … unde predicte Agnes et Dyonisia queste fuerunt falsum sibi factum fuisse iudicium in eadem curia et quod diligenter inquirerent qui fuerunt illi de maneriis Domini Regis de Writele, Neuport et Hatfeuld qui interfuerunt predicto iudicio faciendo simul cum hominibus Domini Regis de Haueringes et illos venire facerent aput Aueringe ad diem quem predicti homines et balliui Haueringe predicti loquelam recordari facerent, ita quod tam predicti ballivi et homines de Haueringe quam predicti homines de predictis maneriis recordum illud haberent coram justiciariis aput Westmonasterium per 4 legales homines de manerio de Aueringes et 6 de maneriis de Writele, de Neuport et de Hatfeuldia ex illis qui recordo illi interfuerunt.... Consideratum est quod illi de predictis maneriis falsum fecerunt iudicium et ideo omnes de manerio in misericordia preter Willelmum Dun … qui noluerunt consentire judicio.'

826

Stoneleigh Reg., f. 75: 'Item si aliquis deforciatur de tenemento suo et tulerit breve Regis clausum ballivis manerii versus deforciantes, dictum breve non debet frangi nisi in curia … Item quando ballivus aliquem summoneat ex precepto curie, tunc assumet secum duos sokemannos quos voluerit pro testanda summonicione predicta … Item qualitercumque placitum terminetur in curia sive in deficiendo in lege vadiata sive per non defensionem dampna sunt semper taxanda per curiam … Item debent sokemanni respondere per 12 coram justiciariis et coronatore domini Regis. Et ipsi dabunt iudicia curie de Stonle … Item nullus adiudicabitur tenens terre nisi qui a curia tenens acceptatur per fidelitatem et alias consuetudines licet tenens extra curiam aliquem feoffaverit per cartam vel sine carta.'

827

Selden Soc. ii. 122: 'Capiatur in manum domini quarta pars unius rode prati jacens in Smalemade quam Rogerus Greylong vendidit Nicholao le Neuman sine licencia curie.' Cf. 112: 'Praesentatum est quod Hugo Graeleng solvit sursum extra curiam ad opus Thome Aspelon de Broucton liberi unam portionem cuiusdam mesuagii … Ideo preceptum quod capiatur in manum domini.'

828

We hear constantly such phrases as the following: 'Quod iuncta est secum vocat rotulos ad warrantum; ponit se super rotulos.' But we have also: 'Et partes pecierunt quod inquiratur per villatam que dixit quod sufficientem duxit sectam. Postea testificatum fuit per totam villatam quod dictus Nicolaus tenebatur dicto Bartholomeo in predictis 5d.' (Seld. Soc. ii. 118). In one case the party relies on the evidence of the Register of Ramsey (p. 111), which was compiled, of course, on the basis of sworn inquests held in the different manors.

829

Seld. Soc. ii. 112.

830

Augment. Court Rolls, Portf. xxiii. No. 94, m. 3: 'Quod quidem per senescallum concessum est eisdem' (the entry is omitted in Mr. Maitland's publication).

831

Seld. Soc. ii. 111.

832

Augment. Court Rolls, Portf. xxiii. No. 94, m. 25 v. (the entry is not in the Selden volume): 'Margeria que fuit uxor Nicholai de Aula de Kingesripton venit et petit unum parvum mesuagium existens in manu domini quod quondam fuit de mesuagio suo proprio et quod ipsa Margeria singulis annis defendit versus dominum Abbatem, unde petit quod ius suum super hoc inquiratur per bonam inquisicionem. Que venit et dicit … Et ideo preceptum eidem quod inde habeat colloquium cum domino. Et postea colloquio habito cum domino concessum est ei quod pacifice habeat faciendo seruicia inde debita et consueta.'

833

Selden Soc. ii. 127.

834

Selden Soc. ii. 173.

835

Ibid. 94: 'Reginaldus fil. Benedicti injuste dedicit esse unus de 12 juratoribus allegando libertatem … Dicunt eciam quod Willelmus de Bernewell injuste allegat libertatem propter quam contradicit esse unus de juratis.' Cf. Cor. Rege incerti anni Johann. 5: 'Predecessores sui et ipse tenuerunt liberum tenementum et quod quidam ex juratis sunt consuetudinarii monialium.' Cor. Rege Pascha, 9 Edw. I, 34, b: '(Amerciamentum sochemanni) per pares vel per liberos de curia et vicinos ad curiam venientes.'