Thus much to stop the Tongues of unthankful Men, such as use to ask, Why have ye not noted this, Or that, and give no thanks for what is done. FOOTNOTES: [15] Franchise = Free community. [16] Soke = Land belonging to the city but outside the walls. [17] Plea rolls = Record of appeals heard in the city courts. CHAPTER III MEDIÆVAL LIFE AND EXPLORATIONS INTRODUCTORY NOTES Abbey of Croyland (_a_, _b_, _c_)-- Chief interest social; illustrates origins of centres of civilisation in Saxon England; foundations of abbey laid in same way as those of Glastonbury British Lake village c. 300 B.C.; importance of abbey as place of refuge from (i) floods, (ii) raids, (iii) lack of supplies; as nucleus for growth of town, later prevented by Danish destruction. All precincts would share in sanctuary right. (_d_) Valuable instance of land granted in fee-farm, and farm. (_e_) This oath of personal homage to King was an all-important innovation and one of the reasons why Britain emerged from feudalism early--France not before fifteenth century, and Germany not till eighteenth century. This fact that Winchester was the capital of Wessex explains the national treasure having been kept there till T. R. Henry II. (_f_) An exaggerated statement. The Norman ceremonies of knighthood seem to have differed little. All these practices were included in the full Elizabethan ceremony, which lasted two days. The custom of conveying land by means of some symbol of it or of the service returned, such as the transfer of a sod or a sword, was derived from the practices of European tribes in the primitive semi-nomad stage. The Burning of Croyland The servants in the vill would be the tenants of the abbey, living around it in their village huts, farming its lands and doing other services. The roofs of monastic houses were either of thatch or lead. Where lead was used the immense amount of it constituted valuable plunder. This was a large item in the spoils made by the court of Henry VIII on the dissolution. Junior monks were under the charge of a novice, master or Librarian and spent some time each morning between services in studying in the north-west cloisters. Their books and rolls were kept in cupboards built against the angle formed by the south wall of the nave and the south transept, the most secure and dry spot available. Astronomy was studied by the Arabs (cf. Psalms of David for Oriental view of the heavens). These mingled with Italians when they held the Mediterranean coasts, from about A.D. 700 onwards. The Emperor Frederick II encouraged this intercourse and so Europe learned from them the elements of mathematics, science and geography. Note that the contributions for re-building the abbey are made in kind, showing the use of barter to be still normal rather than currency. Life of Abbot Ingulf