English Economic History: Select Documents. Various

sheep-herd's right is that he have 12 nights' manure at mid-Winter and 1 lamb of the year's increase, and the fleece of 1 bellwether and the milk of his flock for seven nights after the equinox and a bowlful of whey or buttermilk all the summer.

      Of the Goat-herd.—To the goat-herd belongs his herd's milk after Martinmas Day and before that his share of whey and one kid of the year's increase, if he have well cared for his herd.

Of the Cheese-maker.—To the cheese-maker belong 100 cheeses, and that she make butter of the wring-whey[28] for the lord's table; and she shall have for herself all the buttermilk save the herd's share.

      Of the Barn-keeper.—To the barn-keeper belong the corn-droppings in harvest at the barn-door, if his ealdorman give it him and he faithfully earn it.

      Of the Beadle.—It belongs to the beadle that for his office he be freeer from work than another man, for that he must be oft ready; also to him belongs a strip of land for his toil.

      Of the Woodward.—To the woodward belongs every windfall-tree.

      Of the Hayward.—To the hayward it belongs that his toil be rewarded with land at the ends of the fields that lie by the pasture meadow; for he may expect that if he first neglects this, to his charge will be laid damage to the crops; and if a strip of land be allowed to him, this shall be by folk-right next the pasture meadow, for that if out of sloth he neglect his lord, his own land shall not be well defended, if it be found so; but if he defend well all that he shall hold, then shall he be right worthy of a good reward.

Land-laws are diverse, as I said before, nor do we fix for all places these customs that we have before spoken of, but we shew forth what is accustomed there where it is known to us; if we learn aught better, that will we gladly cherish and keep, according to the customs of the place where we shall then dwell; for gladly should he learn the law among the people, who wishes not himself to lose honour in the country. Folk-customs are many; in some places there belong to the people winter-feast, Easter-feast, boon-feast for harvest, a drinking feast for ploughing, rick-meat,[29] mowing reward, a wainstick at wood-loading, a stack-cup[30] at corn-loading, and many things that I cannot number. But this is a reminder for men, yea, all that I have set forth above.[31]

[2] See Cunningham, Growth of English Industry and Commerce, i., 570–576.

[3] cf. Dialogus de Scaccario: "Finally, that nothing might be thought lacking, he brought the whole of his far-seeing measures to completion by despatching from his side his wisest men in circuit throughout the realm. The latter made a careful survey of the whole land, in woods and pastures and meadows and arable lands also, which was reduced to a common phraseology and compiled into a book, that every man might be content with his own right and not encroach with impunity on that of another."

[4] The right conferred by his book or charter.

[5] Military service.

[6] Repair of the king's castles or boroughs.

[7] Reading with Leo fyrdscipe for frithscipe. For the difficult word "scorp" cf. Pat. 9 John m. 3. Rex omnibus scurmannis et marinellis et mercatoribus Anglie per mare itinerantibus. Sciatis nos misisse Alanum … et alios fideles nostros scurimannos … ad omnes naves quas invenerint per mare arrestandas.

[8] Guard of the king's person.

[9] Rent or tribute. Gafol is sometimes a tax payable to the king, and sometimes a rent or dues payable to the lord.

[10] Payment for pasturing swine.

[11] The lord's house.

[12] This clause appears only in the Latin version.

[13] i.e., Acquit his lord's inland or demesne.

[14] February 2.

[15] September 29.

[16] November 11.

[17] Pasture-land.

[18] i.e., He must plough 3 acres as his rent (gafol).

[19] Outfit.

[20] Reaping at the lord's command.

[21] If he have good land, good, that is, either in quality or quantity or both.

[22] The lord's herd.

[23] An acre for ploughing.

[24] A sheaf from each acre in harvest.

[25] A free but landless retainer.

[26] The reeve (gerefa).

[27] The first milk of a milch-cow after calving.

[28] The residue after the last pressing of the cheese.

      2. The Form of the Domesday Inquest [Inquisitio Eliensis, Domesday Book, Additamenta, p. 497], 1086.

      Here below is written the inquest of the lands, in what manner the King's barons enquire, to wit, by the oath of the sheriff of the shire, and of all the barons and their Frenchmen and of the whole hundred, of the priest, the reeve, six villeins of each town. Then how the manor is named; who held it in the time of King Edward; who holds it now; how many hides; how many ploughs on the demesne, and how many of the men; how many villeins; how many cotters; how many serfs; how many freemen; how many socmen; how much wood; how much meadow; how many pastures; how many mills; how many fishponds; how much has been added or taken away; how much it was worth altogether; and how much now; how much each freeman