Villainage in England: Essays in English Mediaeval History

721

Ibid., p. 121: 'Ricardus A. non feffatus nisi per firmarium consuevit dare annuatim 4 solidos; de cetero dabit 4 sol. 7 den. et ob.' Cf. 52: 'Subscripti sunt feffati de pasturis et frutectis usque ad titulum in proximum.' Add. MSS. 6159, f. 70: 'Robertus Cob tenet 5 acras pro 25 d. per capitulum ut sit perpetuum.' Domesday of St. Paul's, 60: 'Ricardus Wor 13 acras de terra arabili et unum mariscum 10 acrarum pro 4 sol. et 10 d. et per cartam capituli.'

722

Ramsay Inqu., Cotton MSS., Galba E. x. fol. 49: 'De nova purprestura 50 acras … quas 4 homines de dominico tenent.' Cf. Domesday of St. Paul's, 7. 20.

723

Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, 111: 'Homines tenent septem virgatas terre de dominico de terra superius nominata, in parte erat liberata in tempore Henrici episcopi et in parte postea cum 7 acris quas Johannes clericus tenet.' Domesday of St. Paul's, 51: 'Tenentes de dominico antiquitus assiso.' 53: 'Dicunt eciam quod terre de dominico de novo tradite satis utiliter tradite sunt.'

724

Bracton, f. 220. See F.W. Maitland in the Harvard Law Review, iii. 173.

725

Rot. Hundr. ii. 336, a: 'In firmariis Johannes clericus tenet unam dimidiam virgatam terre ad terminum vitae suae pro 6 solidis per annum pro omni servicio.' Cf. 344, 346. Add. MSS. 6159, p. 70: 'Hanc terram tenuit postmodum Thomas de Retendon et cum esset conventus a capitulo super ingressu in illa eo quod aliquando dixisset quod tenuit eam in feodo et non posset illud monstrare et recognovit se non habere ius in illa et reddidit eam quietam decano et capitulo qui postmodum concesserunt eandem terram cum manso ipsi Thomae tenendum de ipsis ad vitam suam tantum pro 2 sol. et 6 d. per annum.' Glastonbury Cart., Wood MSS., 1, 240, a: 'Magister Nicholaus de Malmesburi rector ecclesie de Cristemalforde … quod cum ego recepissem terram Ricardi de Leyweye in manerio de Cristemalforde … ad terminum 15 annorum et uiri religiosi Glastonie se opposuissent dicentes (dicenti?) me esse infeodatum de terra predicta, presenti scriptura confiteor me post predictos 18 annos in dicta terra non posse vendicare feodum nec liberum tenementum.'

726

Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, p. 79: 'Johannes clericus … idem tenet unum cotsetle pro 16 d. pro omni servitio ex presto firmariorum Reginaldi scilicet de Waltona.' Domesday of St. Paul's, 94: 'Gilbertus filius N. tenet tres virgatas in quas Gilbertus avus suus habuit ingressum per Theodoricum firmarium et modo reddit pro illis 36 solidos,' etc. Ibid. 40: 'Thomas filius Godrici 22 acras pro 22 d. cuius medietas quondam Stephani, set habet eam per Ricardum firmarium,' Ibid. 25: 'Walterus de mora 14 acras pro 4 solidis et 8 d. quondam Elvine, cui non attinet, cuius ingressus ignoratur.'

727

Warwickshire Hundred Roll, Q.R. Misc. Books, 429, f. 13, b: 'Unde Willelmus de Wexton tenet unum cotagium libere ad terminum vite sue pro 4 solidis metens in autumpno per 1 diem.' A peculiar case is found in Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, p. 69: 'Godwin palmer … dimidiam virgatam … ex tempore Roberti Abbatis per Thomam Cameriarum in cujus custodia fuit tunc manerium.' (Later hand): 'Iste Godwin dedit Henrico abbati dimidiam marcam et acrevit gabulum de 12 d. Hec convencio durabit dum dominus Abbas erit.'

728

Domesday of St. Paul's, 25: 'Robertus filius Roger filii mercatoris unam acram et dimidiam pro 6 d. Item paruum augmentum pro 1 d.'

729

Rot. Hundr. i. 451: 'Item Andreas prepositus tenet tantum terre sicut dictus Goscelinus villanus in omnibus. Et preter hoc tenet 3 acras pro libra cimini. Item Rogerus Doning facit sicut dictus Goscelinus in omnibus et debet domino suo pro uno seillione terre 6 d. per annum. Willelmus Mathew tenet eodem modo et preter hoc dat domino suo pro una acra 4 capones precii 6 den.'

730

Worcester Cart., 27, a: 'de forlandis. De Thoma de G. pro 5 acris.... De acra quam Symon Carpenter tenuit. De Alicia vidua pro dimidia acra. De Johanne Roberti pro 4 buttis in crofta,' etc.

731

Domesday of St. Paul's, p. 7 sqq.: '(Kenesworthe) isti tenent de dominico et de essarto.' 21 sqq.: '(Erdelege) isti tenent de essarto veteri.' 75: '(Nastox) nova essarta.'

732

Worc. Cart., 13: 'Idem tenet assartum pro medietate fructus et Prior invenit medietatem seminis.'

733

The essarts of St. Paul, London, are divided into small portions among the peasantry, and the same men own them who are possessed of the regular holdings—all indications that the clearing was made according to a general plan and by the whole village.

734

Worcester Cart., 47, 48: 'de soccagiis et forlandis villanorum.' Cf. 49.

735

A curious species of land tenure is the so-called rofliesland (rough lease?). Glastonbury Inqu. of 1189, 29: 'W. de W. tenet unum Rofliesland eodem servicio; tota terra est in voluntate domini.' 65: 'W. tenet 5 acras et filius suus 5 acras; unus eorum tenet carucam domini, alter fugat boves. Terra quam filius eius tenet est Rofles.' 66: 'R. fil. A. tenet unum ferdel de Rofliesland pro 2 solidis pro omni servicio per camerarium.' 90: 'Idem tenet dimidiam virgatam de rofliesland pro duobus solidis, quod utilius esset edificari.' Cf. 164, sub voce Roflesland. The name is found often in old leases in Wilts and Somerset as a 'Rough lease' or a 'Rowlease.' I think the term must indicate one of those informal agreements of which I speak in the text. See also Reg. Malmesbur. ii. 9, 10.

736

Rot. Hundr. ii. 437: 'Symon et Petrus … tenent de eodem Alano unam virgatam terre et solvunt per annum 8 s. et debent arare tres dimidias acras terre … Adam Swetcoc tantum tenet de predicto Alano et solvit 9 sol. 3 d. et facit per omnia sicut predicti Simon et Petrus et tantum plus quod debet metere … Thomas Alwyne tantum tenet de predicto Alano et solvit 8 s. et debet arare 3 acras avene et metere duas acras,' etc. Cf. 446, 473.

737

Rot. Hundr. ii. 656.

738

In Sawtrey le Moyne and Sawtrey Beaumeys (659, 660) the free tenants are partly virgaters and half-virgaters, partly holders of small plots. I need not say that all my quotations are of cases which might be multiplied to any extent.

739

The undated Survey of the Ramsey Cartulary (ii. 487) has a different reckoning: 'Item omnes positi ad censum qui tenent virgatam, vel dimidiam virgatam, dabunt per annum pro virgata octo solidos, vel pro dimidia virgata quatuor solidos.' There are several other small discrepancies with the Hundred Roll description. The document endorsed in the Cartulary seems the earlier one, and the differences have to be explained in all probability by some attempt on the part of the Monastery to set up a higher rent at the time of its compilation. One does not see the slightest ground for any reduction of the rent in process of time. Generally speaking, the conditions described in the Hundred Roll are more irregular than those mentioned in the Cartulary.

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.'