Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Great Britain -- Social conditions
A jury comes by consent of the parties [to recognise] whether William
son of Henry and his ancestors held two parts of a bovate of land with
the appurtenances in Pilton in villeinage of the ancestors of
Bartholomew son of Eustace, doing these underwritten customs, to wit,
3s. 4d. a year of farm, and at Christmas 4 hens, and at the summons of
Bartholomew, between Christmas and the Purification, one feast, and
whether in Lent he ought to plough for one day at his own food, and to
harrow for one day at his own food, and on Easter day to give 20 eggs,
and in summer to plough for one day at the dinner of Bartholomew,[142]
to reap for one day at the food of Bartholomew, to wit, twice a day, and
for one day to carry his hay at the food of the same Bartholomew, and in
autumn to do boon-work for Bartholomew, with his whole household except
his wife, and for Bartholomew's loveboon to find a man at his own food,
and in winter to plough for one day at Bartholomew's dinner, and
whether, if he wish to marry his daughter or his sister, he shall make
fine with Bartholomew as best he may; or whether William or his
ancestors have held the land freely, rendering 3s. 4d. a year and doing
foreign service for all service, etc.
The jurors say that the same William and his ancestors used and ought to
do all the aforesaid customs which Bartholomew demands, to wit, from 1
bovate of land with the appurtenances, except that on Christmas day when
he renders hens he ought to eat with Bartholomew on the same day, and
furthermore that they never saw him sell a daughter or sister or give
merchet or marry, but have seen that Bartholomew sold to Ralph Cayllard
John, brother of William by the same father and mother, for 40s., and
the same Ralph did with him his will.
And so it is awarded that William is convicted of villeinage, and if he
will do the aforesaid customs, let him hold the bovate of land by the
same customs, but if not, let Bartholomew do his will with the land and
with William as with his villein, and let him be delivered to him.
[Footnote 142: _i.e._ Bartholomew providing dinner.]
18. FREEDOM AND FREEHOLD ESTABLISHED [_Bracton's Note-Book_, III, 224,
_No._ 1210], 1236-7.
The assize comes to recognise if Thomas de Sumerdeby and many others
disseised Roger Gladewine of his free tenement in Spitelgate after
etc.,[143] whereof he complains that they disseised him of 2-1/2 acres
and a toft.
And Thomas and the others come and say that the same Roger is a villein
and the tenement whereof view is made is villeinage, and thereof they
put themselves on a jury. And Roger says that he is a free man and the
tenement is free, and that his ancestors were free men and held freely,
and thereof he puts himself on a jury.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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