England under the Angevin Kings, Volume INorgate, Kate
History
England under the Angevin Kings, Volume I
Norgate, Kate
Anjou, House of; England -- Civilization -- 1066-1485; Great Britain -- History -- Angevin period, 1154-1216
Fisherton, again, supplies illustrations of a great variety of
services. On this manor there were twenty-six “full villeins,” twelve
“half villeins,” one “cotsetus” and three “bordarii.” The full villeins
worked two days a week, the half villeins one day, throughout the year;
the four cottagers worked one day a week in August, their food being
supplied by the lord. The villeins had among them nine ploughs, which
were all brought into requisition once in winter and three times in
spring. The full villeins carted a load of wood, the half villeins
in proportion; the full villeins moreover ploughed and harrowed of
custom an acre in spring, and half an acre in winter; they also lent
their ploughs once in summer for fallowing. At Pentecost the lord
received one penny for every villein plough-ox. Each full villein paid
twopence at Martinmas and thirty-two pence on the four quarter-days;
the half villeins paid half the sum. Every one of them gave a hen at
Christmas. The mill brought three shillings a year, the fishing five
shillings. Land enough for twelve full villeins lay unoccupied; the
reeve had to discharge its dues out of his own purse, and hire it out
at the best rent he could get. There were twenty sokemen, holding three
ploughlands, and lending their ploughs once in winter, twice in spring,
and once for fallowing; each of them reaped one acre, and did two days
bene-work in August; at hay-harvest they gave of custom three days’
work, one for mowing, one for turning the hay, and one for carrying it;
each gave a hen at Christmas, and they all paid four pounds a quarter.
On the demesne were three ploughs, each with a team of eight oxen;
these were under the care of five ox-herds, who held five acres each,
and whose wives reaped one day a week in August, the lord supplying
their food.[179] At Oundle we get a glimpse not only of the rural
township, but of the little dependent town growing up on it. “In Oundle
are four hides paying geld to the king. Of these hides, twenty-five
men hold twenty virgates, and pay of custom twenty shillings a year,
forty hens, and two hundred eggs. The men of the township have nine
ploughs; from Michaelmas to Martinmas they find ploughs for the lord’s
use once a week, and from Martinmas to Easter once a fortnight, and
ten acres fallow. Each virgate owes three days’ work a week. There are
ten _bordarii_, who work one day a week; and fifteen burghers, who pay
thirty shillings. The market of the township renders four pounds and
three shillings. A mill with one virgate renders forty shillings and
two hundred eels. The abbot holds the wood in his own hand. The men of
the township, with six herdsmen, pay five shillings a year poll-tax.
The church of this township belongs to the altar of the abbey of
Borough.”[180]
[179] _Liber Niger Petrob._ (Stapleton), p. 164.
[180] _Ib._ p. 158.
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